Dinner benefits Project HOPE
Just Horsin’ Around Spaghetti Dinner, auction and pony rides will be held Sunday from 12:30-6:30 p.m. at
16011 W. Poe Road.
For more information, visit www.projecthope-equinetherapy.org
The spaghetti dinner includes bread, salad and dessert for donation. The auction has more than 40 items
available. Pony rides will be available for donation.
All proceeds benefit Project HOPE Equestrian Therapy. The mission of Project HOPE is to enhance the
quality of life for people dealing with emotional and behavioral challenges through innovative
equestrian activities. We combine traditional therapy with the healing touch of horses.
G. Rapids Area Senior Center is now open
GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids Area Senior Center, 23019 Kellogg Road, is now open Monday-Friday from 10
a.m.-2 p.m., with noon meals for seniors available.
Volunteers to deliver meals to clients in the area. They will need a valid/current drivers license and
vehicle insurance.
All inquiries can be made to Jackie Metz, volunteer coordinator, at 419-353-5661. Students who are
available to assist at the senior center are welcome to call as well.
Schedel festival is May 11
ELMORE — The Schedel Arboretum and Gardens Community Day Festival is set for May 11 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The gardens are located at 19255 W. Portage River Road.
Visitors are asked to bring canned goods to support the Elmore Food Bank. There will be free admission
and vendors with food, drinks, arts and crafts.
Beginning birding tours available
OAK HARBOR — The Ohio Ornithological Society is now accepting signups for guided beginner birding tours
during the International Migratory Bird Day weekend, according to the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources Division of Wildlife
The OOS, in cooperation with the Division of Wildlife, will be conducting guided bird walks May 11 and 12
at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. These outings are targeted at novice or new birding enthusiasts and help
people who are new to birding get better acquainted with the beauty of birds.
The walks on May 11 will be held at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. and the walks on May 12 will be
held at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Walks are limited to 15 participants each. Interested individuals can
register by emailing [email protected]. Provide name, phone number, and requested date and
time-slot.
In years past, visitors to the area have come from all 50 states and over 30 counties.
Bittersweet gets $8,000 grant
Whitehouse — The Board of Trustees of the Waterville Community Foundation, an affiliation of Toledo
Community Foundation, has approved an $8,000 grant from the Katherine R. Smith Fund for Children with
Developmental Disabilities to Bittersweet Inc.
The funds help provide support and scholarships to adolescents who participate in Bittersweet’s Social
Recreation Program. The purpose of the program is to provide adolescents with autism opportunities that
improve community integration, independent living skills, social interaction, and participation in
recreational activities with others.
“The funds are so helpful in ensuring Bittersweet can continue to provide premier services to individuals
with autism. We are so grateful to the foundation for supporting our mission,” stated Dustin Watkins,
Bittersweet’s executive director.
Bittersweet’s Social Recreation Program utilizes Bittersweet’s recreational philosophy that has been
successful for the past 36 years. The program provides authentic community based experiences for
adolescents with autism. The purpose of this program is to allow a safe place for individuals with
autism to go and socialize with their peers, while also allowing their caregivers some extra free time.
The Katherine R. Smith Funds for Children with Developmental Disabilities provide support for programming
that enhances the lives of young people up to age 18, with an emphasis on serving children with
developmental disabilities or those who have been abused.
For 36 years, Bittersweet, Inc. has been serving adults and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders
across three locations in Ohio. For more information, visit http://www.bittersweetfarms.org/
