West Lodi's historic church is to get another round of repairs thanks to a donation made in memory of Wynona Agsten.
Her sister, Holly Agsten, donated $9,505 to replace the shingle roof with an aluminum roof that looks like cedar shakes, and $1,850 in lumber to replace siding on the west side of the building.
The donations were accepted during Wednesday's meeting of the Seneca County Park Board.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY VICKI JOHNSON
Calvert third-graders Carson Gaietto (left) and Jackson Cook donated four bluebird boxes to the Seneca County Park District Wednesday. During their presentation, the boys explained their research, how they made the boxes and how the boxes would benefit birds.
The 1845 church was donated to the park district several years ago by West Lodi Historical Society after members determined they were no longer able to handle maintenance of the building.
Kate Jett, a historical society members, arranged the donation.
She said the repairs will be another step in restoring the building. In the past, she said windows were replaced, along with window sills and other wood. In addition, the foundation was repaired, and gutters and downspouts were replaced.
A memorial to Agsten is to be placed at the church.
The board also accepted four bluebird boxes from Calvert third-graders Jackson Cook and Carson Gaietto.
The boys said they read in the Seneca County Park District newsletter that the parks were in need of bluebird boxes, and they decided to make some boxes as a service project, which is required of every Calvert student. During their presentation, the boys explained their research, how they made the boxes and how they would benefit birds.
Other donations included recycled lumber from the Sisters of St. Francis is to be recycled again into a handicapped access for the log cabin at Garlo Heritage Nature Preserve, and $250 from Friends of the Seneca County Park District to pay a conference-related bill.
Program Director Linda Rose said the numbers of children participating in park district programs is increasing.
"There are lots of new little people coming in," she said. "And the older kids continue to come."
In her role as administrator and head teacher at Out & About Preschool, Rose said the preschool received a $1,000 grant to buy gardening supplies from Tiffin Charitable Foundation's White Family Trust.
Rose said the preschool will be hosting various people interested in how the school operates, including college students; Joyce Davis, known as the "Puppet Lady"; and the director of the Toledo Zoo's preschool program.
In addition, Rose said people filled a room to hear her presentation about children and nature during a recent state conference.
Board members designated Director Pat Obringer and board members Carl Miller and Roland Zimmerman to handle agriculture-related contracts with Seneca Soil and Water Conservation District and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. Examples of contracts would be land in the federal Conservation Reserve Program at Bowen Nature Preserve and federal ag program agreements with FSA on the park district's farmland.
The board discussed sealing blacktop at Garlo preserve and putting in a stone parking lot at Steyer Nature Preserve using grant funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation. Board member Jim Nordholt suggested projects be decided and started in case state legislators decide to take back the money for use in another part of the state budget.
Potential projects at Steyer preserve were referred to the Steyer Committee for evaluation.
Board member Roy Zinn updated members on the second log cabin restoration in progress. He said debris has been cleared away, providing access to logs. The logs will be taken down and marked so they can be reconstructed at the cabin's new site near the current cabin at Garlo preserve.
Zinn said a stone mason has agreed to use bricks from the cabin site to build a chimney.
During its meeting prior to the board meeting, the Friends of the Seneca County Park District agreed to spend up to $350 to print membership brochures. The organization is seeking new members, and is seeking a sponsor to help with printing costs.
In other business, the board:
The board's next meeting will be at Garlo preserve's nature center following a 5:30 p.m. potluck and annual meeting of the Friends organization.
