February 2023

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By Cort Reynolds

Two Bluffton High School boys were named second team All-Northwest Conference in voting recently conducted by the league basketball coaches.

Bluffton sophomore guard Marek Donaldson topped the Pirates in three-point goals made and in scoring to garner second team All-NWC notice. 

Pirate junior Wade Ginther came on strong the second half of the season to also earn second team all-league honors.

Bluffton senior guard Carson Soper was tabbed honorable mention All-NWC.

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On Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Bluffton’s Girls Basketball coach Eric Garmatter coached his final  game as a Pirate. He is stepping down after 28 years of coaching basketball and serving the Bluffton community.

He started his career as the JV Boys basketball coach during the 1995-96 season and  took over as Varsity Head Girls Basketball coach in 2011-12. Coach Garmatter finished his head  coaching career with a record of 164-114. Coach Garmatter earned NWC Coach of the Year Honors  for the 2018-19 season, and won a Northwest Conference Title the same year.

Coach Garmatter is  an invaluable member of the Bluffton Athletic Department who conducted himself with dignity and class.

It is with heartfelt gratitude that we say thank you to “Garmey” for the countless lives touched and years of service to Bluffton. We wish him and his family all the best.

Alex Hanna, Athletic Director

Mary Hoffer, Athletic Secretary

Bluffton Exempted Village School District

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Northwest Ohio solar energy design and installation company, Superior Energy Solutions, has been acquired by Greensburg Investment Group, LLC, a local real estate and investment firm. The sale includes all assets, current customers and some existing and upcoming projects as well as the name.

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OTTAWA—Putnam County Habitat for Humanity (PCHFH) will host Tool & Purse Bingo on Friday, March 10 at VFW Post 9142, 212 West Second Street, Ottawa. All proceeds from the evening will support PCHFH’s new home and critical home repair programs.

“Habitat for Humanity is all about building hope,” said PCHFH Executive Director Anne Coburn-Griffis. “We use a lot of tools to get the work done, including real, rugged hand and power tools."

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By Paula Scott

Bluffton Exempted Village Schools Board of Education held its February 20 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Elementary Media Center. The meeting was called to order by Board President Brad Dailey. All members were present including Larry Hoffman, Roni Kaufman, Wes Klinger and Jeremy Scoles.

Approval of the agenda, minutes and reports was unanimous without discussion.

INVOLVEMENT OF VISITORS
Icon editor Paula Scott stepped out of her role as a reporter to share an email she sent to board members earlier that day. Scott noted that local residents had attended a recent Bluffton council meeting to express concerns about pedestrian safety on Main St., especially near the High School. She described a Catch-22 situation: the location needs more pedestrians to be considered for a traffic signal, but is avoided because it is considered dangerous.

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Men's Basketball
DEFIANCE--The Bluffton University men's basketball team sent Head Coach Guy Neal into retirement with a satisfying 63-42 win at Defiance College on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. Bluffton finished with a 6-19 mark overall and 4-14 in the Heartland Conference as Coach Neal put victory number 394 in the win column. Defiance fell to 7-18 and 2-16 in the HCAC.

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The Bluffton Community Betterment Foundation, supporting community non-profits since 1972, has closed and turned its assets of $49,477.95 to the R.L. and Etta L. Triplett Memorial Foundation. 

The announcement was made by Kathy Steiner, secretary-treasurer of the Betterment Foundation and Tomm Triplett of the Triplett Memorial Foundation. The two foundations are similar, supporting Bluffton community, educational, charitable and recreational non-profit organizations.

Triplett said, “We’re very pleased that the Bluffton Community Betterment Foundation has chosen the Triplett Foundation as the recipient of its funds. We will continue to be good stewards of these funds as both foundations have worked to support similar non-profits in Bluffton.”

The Betterment Foundation has disbursed nearly $70,000 in funds since 1990. Recipients during that period include:

• Bluffton Senior Citizens Association, $37,974 
• Bluffton Family Recreation, $15,791 
• Bluffton Child Development Center, $7,444, and 
• Bluffton Weekday Religious Education, $7,057. 

These figures do not include disbursements from the first 18 years of the Foundation’s existence; those figures are unavailable.

CONTINUES

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The Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District is conducting a survey until February 28, inviting the public to provide feedback on ways to improve area parks, including Bluffton's Motter Park.

What can we do to improve the quality of your visit to the Park?

What do you want to see more of?

Are there updates you'd like to see?

Click HERE to participate in the survey.

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Mission Possible, a nonprofit with schools in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, is hosting an event called the Mission Possible Coffee Trail. For $20 you can purchase a coffee trail card giving you access to a designated coffee item at 19 participating coffee shops, includig Buckeye East at 123 E. Buckeye Ave. in Ada.

Organizers explain, "The trail runs from March 15 - May 10, so you have 8 weeks to use your card, support their schools in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and experience some fantastic coffee shops along the way.

"Go to www.ourmissionispossible.org/coffee-trail/ to get your card today and help support education one cup at a time."

PARTICIPATING COFFEE SHOPS

Baker's Cafe, 408 S. Main St. Findlay

Baking Company, 510 S. Blanchard St., Findlay

Buckeye East, 123 E. Buckeye Ave., Ada 

Coffee Amici, 328 S. Main St., Findlay

Enchanted Bean, 204 S. Main St., Fostoria

Flatlands Coffee, 138 N. Main St., Bowling Green

Flying Joe, 2130 Preston Pkwy, Perrysburg

Fort Findlay Coffe & Doughnut Shoppe, 1016 Tiffin Ave., Findlay

Meeting Place on Market, 220 W. Market St., Lima

Novel Blends, 116 S. Main St., Bowling Green

Twisted Whisk Cafe, 101 S. Main St., Bluffton

Well Grounded Cafe, 114 N. Elm St., Ottawa

Way Makers, 24125 Front St., Grand Rapids

We Serve Coffee, 114 E. Sandusky St., Findlay

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