(From Welcome to a New Life)

Welcome to a New Life, a nonprofit organization mentoring adults involved in the Hancock County criminal justice system, is once again holding a gift card drive as their 2023 Giving Tuesday project. The gift card drive will take place through November 30th. The organization is seeking donations of gift cards to restaurants and coffee shops. Other gift cards (Walmart, Meijer, Dollar General, cab vouchers, gas cards, etc.) will also be accepted and will be used to assist mentees with unexpected expenses needed to improve their lives.

The mission of Welcome to a New Life relies on volunteer mentors to meet regularly with adults involved in the Hancock County criminal justice system, helping them to establish goals, develop healthy relationships, and improve their lives by making better choices. Often, these meetings occur in local small businesses like restaurants, cafes and other businesses providing services.

By hosting a Giving Tuesday Gift Card Drive, Welcome to a New Life believes that we are not only supporting the work of our volunteer mentors and their mentees, but also our Hancock County businesses. By purchasing a gift card and donating it to Welcome to a New Life, the restaurants and businesses win, our organization wins, and the mentors and mentees win.

Those who wish to donate can simply purchase a gift card from a local restaurant and mail it to Welcome to a New Life at PMB #105, 2447 Tiffin Ave., Findlay, Ohio, 45840. Welcome to a New Life will be hosting an open house on November 28th from 8am – 5pm  for those who wish to drop off their donations in person, meet WNL board members and staff, and learn more about the organization. The WNL office is located at 1219 W. Main Cross St. Suite 201, Findly, OH 45840.

If you would like to provide an online contribution toward the purchase of gift cards, visit https://www.welcometoanewlife.org/givingtuesday.

For more information visit welcometoanewlife.org or contact Carla Benjamin, executive director, at 419-455-6082 or director@welcometoanewlife.org.

(ONN) – Just when it looked like the Cleveland Browns were becoming a serious playoff contender comes unfortunate news.

The Browns announced that quarterback Deshaun Watson will be placed on season-ending injured reserve amid an injury that will require immediate surgical repair.

The Browns say Watson is expected to make a full recovery for the start of next season.

The team says Watson suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s win over Baltimore, but also suffered a displaced fracture in his throwing shoulder that will need surgery.

Cleveland is 6-3, just a half game behind Baltimore, and hosts Pittsburgh on Sunday.

(From the Office of the Governor)

In honor of the lives of those killed in the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District bus crash, Governor Mike DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States of America and the State of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Tuscarawas and Stark counties, at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower from sunrise on November 15, 2023 until sunset on November 18, 2023.

All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.

Six people were killed, including three students, in the multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 70 in Licking County on Tuesday.

The City Mission of Findlay’s ‘Shine a Light Walk’ will be held on Friday night, November 17^th.

It will begin at 6 p.m. at the Hancock County Courthouse.

People are invited to join the City Mission in bringing awareness to homelessness and in celebrating the possibility of renewal and hope.

In 2022, the City Mission provided more than 31,000 nights of lodging and 130,000 meals.

Chamberlin Hill Elementary School in Findlay has a new outdoor memorial space to honor Veterans called Veterans Lane.

It’s located at the Land Lab, the outdoor educational space behind the school.

The area has been transformed to honor Veterans with stones inscribed with the branches of the Armed Forces.

“This memorial is our promise to you that the sacrifices you have made will never be forgotten,” said teacher Rhonda Hiatt.

She says the school’s mission is to honor the past experiences of our Veterans, with celebrations held in the present, and our promise that future generations will remember those who served.

“We invite the Findlay Community to purchase a paver to be placed in our Land Lab to honor a Veteran. Orders can be placed by mailing the form below to Chamberlin Hill, or by stopping in the office.”

Learn more about Veterans Lane in the post below from the school.

The City of Findlay’s Christmas Tree has arrived.

The tree arrived on Tuesday morning and was put in place at Dorney Plaza in front of the municipal building.

The tree is a blue spruce standing about 40 feet tall.

It was donated by the Sampsel Family.

The community is invited to attend the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, November 24^th with food and refreshments beginning at 5 p.m., and then Santa Claus himself will help with the countdown at 6 p.m.

Several downtown establishments will be open later than normal for shopping and refreshments the night of the tree lighting ceremony.

See video from last year below.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Blanchard Valley Health System is successfully encouraging traveling nurses to sign on as associates for the long term.

The ranks of traveling nurses nationwide increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more nurses wanting to take these temporary roles for financial and scheduling reasons.

One of those was Christina Frymyer, RN, a registered nurse on the sixth floor of Blanchard Valley Hospital in the medical/surgical unit. She said she had originally become a traveler because at the time, logistical issues like childcare were easier that way.

But Frymyer decided to stay at BVH as an associate in March 2023, after about a year and a half of working there as a traveler. A primary reason was the bonds she formed with colleagues. Most of the other nurses on the floor are younger than Frymyer.

“I quickly became sort of a ‘mom’ to the younger nurses,” Frymyer said. “They are close in age to my oldest child, who is 24. We bonded quickly, and I made a point of being there for them. They, for their part, were so gracious about helping me learn my way around the hospital and answering all my questions.”

Staying at BVHS also offers her benefits such as sick time and retirement. It also means she knows she won’t be moving every so often to a new hospital to work, where she must learn new processes and procedures – and will have to wonder how she will be treated.

“At BVH it’s clear that they care about their travelers,” Frymyer said. “But at some hospitals, travelers can feel like they’re just someone filling a spot. In addition to wanting the job security of staying in one place, I like knowing that I am in an environment where I am respected and valued, and where I’ve formed such close friendships.”

Jessica Moore, BSN, RN, director of inpatient nursing, said nursing leadership consciously works to treat travelers like any other associates. They attend staff meetings and participate in all the same activities, including celebrations.

Moore said traveling nurses are valued and appreciated, and they provide excellent care. But she’s pleased when they choose to stay, and she has seen associates staying with the organization become more invested.

Katelyn Richard, MSN, RN, orthopedics/neurology/post-op surgery clinical manager on the sixth floor of BVH, said she makes sure all her traveling nurses know they will be treated well, even when they are first interviewing.

Moore said they also try to offer as much scheduling flexibility as possible. BVHS has part-time as well as full-time positions available.

Richard has found the traveling nurses also appreciate the camaraderie they may find at BVHS.

“Some traveling nurses find that they make lifelong friends on this unit,” Richard said. “This outweighs the benefits they see in traveling.”

She added that the nurses who are BVH associates treat their traveling coworkers well, as do healthcare providers.

“They form close friendships,” she said. “Some of our long-term nurses have even been in travel nurses’ weddings.”

“Some of our traveling nurses have found they have really enjoyed the culture here, and they love the Northwest Ohio community,” Moore said. We want them to feel like they are part of the BVHS family, and everyone does their part to ensure that comes through.”

For more information on nursing opportunities at BVHS, please visit https://www.bvhealthsystem.org/careers

(From Putnam County Habitat for Humanity)

When you enter the holiday-decorated Schroeder Center for the Arts on December 1, you can sample a variety of soups, breads and desserts while supporting Putnam County Habitat for Humanity’s (PCHFH) mission for safe, decent, affordable housing throughout Putnam County. “Soup for Shelter” will take place at the Schroeder Center for the Arts at 162 W. Main St., Ottawa, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. This event will be an evening of hearty feasting that features soup bowls made by local school students, teachers and artists.

“Hand-made bowls are being created for us by students and faculty at Miller City-New Cleveland High School, Fort Jennings High School, the University of Findlay, Bluffton University and Ohio Northern University,” says Anne Coburn-Griffis, PCHFH’s Executive Director. “Several local artists, including Continental’s Brandon Knott, are also donating their work. Adults will have their choice of one of these beautiful bowls, although we’ll have disposable bowls on hand to sample all the soups.”

(Above, Elizabeth Freund, a senior at Fort Jennings High School, works on a hand-made bowl for Habitat’s Soup for Shelter fundraiser)

While ticketholders dine, they can vote for their favorite soup. The winner of the evening’s soup cook-off will take home a golden bowl created by mosaic artist Martha Erchenbrecher.

“Each soup chef has been invited to decorate their table to attract more votes,” says Coburn-Griffis, adding that there will be ingredient lists posted with each soup. “Maybe the cooks will share their recipes, too.”

“Soup for Shelter” tickets for adults are $25. Adult tickets include one handmade bowl, one soup cook-off vote, and all the samples they can eat until the crockpots are empty. Tickets are also available for $5 for children aged 4 to 12; children under 3 admitted free (does not include the hand-made bowl.) Tickets are available online at www.putnamohhabitat.org, at the PCHFH office at 150 N. Oak Street, Ottawa, Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on December 1 at the door.

Since its inception in 2009, PCHFH has built 12 new homes and rebuilt an entire house. Homeowners purchase their homes through low- or zero-interest mortgages provided by PCHFH or through USDA direct loans. Critical home repair projects completed by Putnam County Habitat for Humanity include bathroom remodels, roof repairs and replacements, electrical repairs, window replacements, wheelchair ramp additions and replacements.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

The City of Findlay/Police Department was contacted by Columbia Gas concerning a complaint from a customer on the Southeast side of the City in regards to a male and female going door to door requesting access to gas meters.

These individuals did not have Columbia Gas credentials and were denied access to the residence.

Please use caution when answering the door for visitors.

Representatives of Columbia Gas (as well as most other reputable utilities) will be in marked vehicles, have proper attire and have proper credentials with them.

(ONN) – The state of Ohio is once again partnering with a group to support food banks with donated venison.

The Division of Wildlife says hunters who harvest a deer and would like to donate the venison to the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program can bring it to one of 26 certified deer processing shops in Ohio.

Each donated deer is provided to a verified charitable organization that offers food assistance and can provide around 200 meals.

During the 2022-23 hunting season, the program coordinated the processing of more than 1,100 deer donated by Ohio hunters.