MILLBURY – Feeling forced out by the fair and other festivals, organizers have furloughed Friendship Day
for a year.
Lake Township Trustee Chairwoman Melanie Bowen, who also serves on the Friendship Committee, which
organizes activities at the township’s parks, said Tuesday the annual event should be back in 2010.
"A lot of it was the fair and the trouble with trying to reschedule a date," she said.
The Wood County Fair was pushed back a week this year, Bowen said, putting it during the Saturday in
August that Friendship Day is usually held. Lake Township firefighters, who typically put on a chicken
barbecue during Friendship Day, and the school district are heavily involved in the fair.
Vendors are also scarce during fair week.
"You can’t really have these things without having something to eat," Bowen said.
Different summer weekends were ruled out for Friendship Day because of other events, such as the National
Tractor Pulling Championships and the Stony Ridge Festival.
"It’s just a temporary thing. We’re going to try to plan ahead for next year," she said.
The Friendship Committee has organized a fishing derby at Friendship Park on July 25. Music in the Park
also continues Fridays in the park and the farmer’s market is every Wednesday night through October.
This would have been the 12th year for Friendship Day.
Also at the Tuesday’s meeting, the trustees:
¥ Opened eight road construction bids for Keller and Libbey roads. The trustees and road department will
review them.
¥ Set a hearing for July 21 at 7 p.m. for a zoning amendment request of Owens Lake LLC on Tracy Road for
a .496 acre parcel change from A-1 agricultural to B-2 general commercial. Trustee Richard Welling said
he believes the company wants to put a carryout and Laundromat in the area.
¥ Voted to buy a snow plow from Tom Newell Sales, Upper Sandusky, not to exceed $8,500.
¥ Voted to buy a material pump for the tar wagon used by the road department from Southeastern Equipment
Co., Perrysburg, not to exceed $2,500.
¥ Voted to purchase 600 tons of salt from Cargill Co., North Olmsted, for $55 per ton. Road Supervisor
Dan McLargin said the cost last year was $76 a ton.
¥ Heard Fire Chief Todd Walters say there are 105 smoke detectors available to township families at the
Walbridge and Millbury stations. They were paid for by Walbridge Fest and the Walbridge VFW Post.