Bluffton University students, alumni and friends recently gathered for the institution's annual May Day and commencement festivities, May 8 and 9. The institution's 110th commencement ceremony, held on May 9, recognized 270 graduates. This year's commencement speaker was Elaine Moyer, a Bluffton alumna and associate director of the Mennonite Education Agency. She presented "Engage Complexity - Live Simply."
Graduates from the local area include:
Earning master's degrees in education: Kelly Ren'e Prichard, Bluffton, Ohio; Jami L. Slager, Bluffton, Ohio.
Bluffton University students Emily Baransy, Maryam Telahun and Marlon Young are exploring connections between vocation and faith this summer thanks to $1,500 Summer Discovery Grants awarded by Bluffton's Pathways to Mission and Vocation project.
In July, Baransy, a junior from Ottawa, will attend a Renovar'e Covenant Retreat in San Diego focusing on spiritual discernment and discovery. After returning to Bluffton, the social work major will work with campus pastor Stephen Intagliata to put her insights into practice as a pastoral assistant.
Over 60 craft vendors will sell their wares on Main Street Saturday, May 22, for the 39th annual Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce arts and crafts fair.
Because of the larger than usual number of crafters, several booths will be set up on South Main Street from Citizens National Bank to the farmer's market. In addition, crafters will fill the street from the corner of Cherry and Main all the way to the town hall.
Bluffton's next American Red Cross blood drive is in June. St. Mary's Catholic Church will host the drive, held from noon to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 10.
Students who have completed grade seven, eight or nine and have had at least an accelerated pre-algebra course may attend the Bluffton University Junior High Mathematics Enrichment Camp June 7-11.
Led by Dr. Donald Hooley, professor of mathematics, participants will explore geometrically themed topics that do not commonly appear in either secondary or college math courses, including graph theory, knot theory, topological surfaces, non-Euclidean geometry and cellular automata.
It's a great week for umbrella sales. Between May 11 and May 17 we've had 3.21 inches of rain fall, according to Guy Verhoff, Pandora weather observer. Here's a report for the past seven days.
Blanchard Valley Rehab and Sports Medicine will offer sports physicals to area students every Wednesday throughout June and July at their office located at 1721 Medical Blvd., Suite B in Findlay. The physicals will be provided by fellowship trained sports medicine specialist Dr. Michael Stump.
All students must bring a completed physical form and must be accompanied by a parent. The cost of the physical is $30 and is payable by cash or check.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 419.425.3199.
A plant sale will be held at Buzzard Roost Nursery, operated by Tim and Chris McCarthy, 7878 Grismore Road, (corner Grismore and Pandora roads) Bluffton, on Saturday, May 22, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All proceeds will go to a charity fund through The Mennonite Foundation to Our Daily Bread soup Kitchen, Lima, Faith Alive AIDS Clinic in Nigeria, and other charitable organizations.
The Bluffton American Legion Post 382 will hold its traditional chicken barbecue on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. Serving will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Citizens National Bank parking lot on Main Street. Tickets are $7 each and dinners include one-half chicken, baked potato and green beans and roll. The barbecue will be from Harlan's of Pandora. Tickets are on sale now from legion members.
