This weekend marks the 99th annual Farmers and Merchants Picnic in Ada. The Ada Farmers and Merchants Picnic Association sponsor the Friday and Saturday, Aug. 10-11 event.
There's a Basinger residence on South Main Street with a horse hitching post. Lately, several horses have been hitched to the post, as seen in this photo taken last weekend. The Icon has its own views on "who dunit." The list includes several prominent residents. One holds an annual garage sale on North Jackson. Another has a "Rich" heritage of doing this sort of entertainment.
A successful fundraising year that ended June 30 helped Bluffton University achieve annual financial objectives and move forward with construction of a new, 60,000-square-foot building.
During the 2011-12 year, the university achieved a 15 percent increase in giving to the Bluffton Fund, surpassing its fundraising goal and providing the university with increased gift revenue for annual operations and student financial aid.
Peter G. Fast, 87, of Bluffton died at 2:45 p.m. Aug. 9, 2012, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. Arrangements are incomplete at Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services, Bluffton.
It's the mother of all garage sales. Lincoln Highway's Main Street America Buy-Way Yard Sale is underway Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9-10-11.
NOTE: A list of 50 Ada area garage sales is available at the bottom of this story.
Thanks to the Bluffton Icon's sister publication, The Ada Icon (www.adaicon.com), we can provide viewers with a list longer than you can possibly cover even in three days.
The Bluffton Lions will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 21. at Maple Crest at noon. The speaker will be District Governor Ralph Stuebs. He will be speaking on the goals for our district and the International President. He will also give an update on the district and will be available to answer questions about Lionism.
Lindsay Steiner, a 2001 Bluffton High School graduate, and a doctoral candidate in Literacy, Rhetoric and Social Practice at Kent State University, is part of a planning team for a three-day workshop: Kent Education Excellence Partnership (KEEP) Language Arts Academy: A Focus on the Common Core.
The workshop is held at Hudson High school Aug. 7, 8, and 9. This is professional development designed for and by English/Language Arts teachers from local school districts in partnership with Kent State University English and Teacher Education faculty.
The churches of Pandora and Gilboa are offering food boxes for households in the Pandora-Gilboa School District. The boxes are designed to provide nine meals for a family of four.
In order to pick up a box, you must register by 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 by calling 419-384-3905. Boxes will be available for pickup on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. at the Pandora United Methodist Church located on State Route 12.
The Pandora United Methodist Church will host a free community meal on Wednesday, Aug. 29, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the church fellowship hall, 108 E. Washington St. Pandora.
The meal this month is provided by the Mission Committee and is hamburger/hot dog, macaroni salad, chips, dessert and beverage.
Riley Creek Singers, Pandora, will present four performances of "Brigadoon" at the Pandora-Gilboa School auditeria beginning Friday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. Other shows are Saturday, Aug, 11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 12 at 2 and 7 p.m.
The goal of Riley Creek Singers is to promote the musical arts in the Pandora-Bluffton area. The group was organized in 1996 and this year is presenting the 9th bi-yearly production.
