Our lives are full of memorable moments. And the older we get, the more important those memories become. For 11 area residents, one of those moments took place at the Logan County fairgrounds Tuesday.
In honor of Senior Day, the Logan County Council on Aging (COA) presented several awards and handed out 360 Subway sandwich lunches to seniors. Though the indoor event was small, organizer Pat Depasquale was just glad they were finally able to make it happen again after nothing in 2020 and a one-on-one presentation to the winner, Betty Hunt, in 2021.
“We really wanted to do something this year and not cancel,” Depasquale said. “Joe Antram (Logan County commissioner) recommended doing the drive-through (for the lunches) and got this rolling.”
Laura Haverkos, Area Agency on Aging, PS2 advisory council vice chairman, announced the winners. “We’d be here all day if we were to honor everything these people have done,” she said.
Numerous sponsors helped make Tuesday’s event possible, including the Subway restaurants in Bellefontaine (two) and West Liberty. Subway’s owner, Mike Ritter, provided 500 lunches made fresh Tuesday morning at the price of $5.50 rather than the usual $7. Numerous other businesses also chipped in.
“There wasn’t anyone we asked who didn’t contribute,” Depasquale stated. “Everyone is always very willing to help.”
The rest of the lunches went to the Logan County Friendly Senior Center and the Lutheran Community Kitchen.
The COA gave their 2022 Outstanding Senior Citizen Award to Patrick Ellis. Not only was Ellis instrumental in the construction of the Bellefontaine High School (BHS) stadium, but he served on the school’s War Memorial Committee, the OSU-Lima campus advisory board, and as president for the OSU Civil Engineering Alumni Society.
This year’s COA Veteran Award went to 95-year-old WW II veteran Allie Schrader, who was stationed on the USS Lexington. Schrader’s noted accomplishments include being a member and past president for the Bellefontaine Kiwanis, serving as adjutant and commander at the Belle Center American Legion Post #179, and sitting on the Belle Center Village Council, including a short period as mayor. He’s also a 70-year member of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. And last weekend, he joined the Logan County Vets to DC trip.
Andy Reinhart and Jan Dawson received the COS Partner Award for their role in the Logan County Farmers Market, which they found in 1997. From recruitment to mentoring new vendors to organizing the board of directors, their influence on the market has been felt for over 20 years. In 2021, they were honored with the Ecological and Farm Association Leadership Award.
The council presented their Group Award to four local women for their work in initiating beautification projects in downtown Bellefontaine over two decades ago. This has included Christmas decorations and planting geraniums in the summer as members of the Bellefontaine Rake and Hoe Garden Club. This Gang of Four—Susan Burton, Judy Hadley, Joanne Ritter and Carol Smith—has motivated a team to raise money for the plants and decorations to continue.
Only one of three “super nominees” was able to attend: Carol Thurman, a Green Hills Community volunteer. Art Rausch and Karen Kennedy couldn’t make it. Three others received honorable mention nominations for the volunteer work: Donna Dahlke (Meals on Wheels), Bonnie Johnson (Indian Lake Moose) and Paul Kondrath (Shawnee Springs). (Smith and Johnson were also unable to attend.)
