December 2024

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Click photos to enter gallery mode and view at your own pace. PHOTOS provided by Trevor Bassitt.

Olympic athlete Trevor Bassitt, 26, Team USA Track & Field and 5x World Medalist, competed in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in the 2024 summer Olympics. See part 1 HERE.

By Benji Bergstrand

As Trevor Bassitt began to settle into life in the Olympic Village and tune up for his 400m hurdle preliminary race one thing that wasn’t high on his to-do list was sightseeing. “I had been to Paris before for a race in 2023. I had seen the Eiffel Tower,” Bassitt said. Plus, there was all the walking. “If you weren’t going to an Olympic site where they had a shuttle, you would have to walk a good ten minutes out from the village because all the roads were shut down and they wouldn’t let people through without a credential, and there are few things I hate more than unnecessary walking, so I didn’t go sightseeing too much.”

The village itself provided Trevor plenty of opportunities for entertainment and exploration. At over 130 acres and supporting a population of over 14,000 people, it truly was a village within the city of Paris. “The Village itself was massive,” Bassitt said. “I didn’t even see every part of it. There were shuttles that could take you anywhere in the village you wanted. There was a grocery store, a Paris 2024 merchandise store, a Samsung store and there were vending machines all over with free Coca Cola products for the villagers. They also had some interactive games and scavenger hunts athletes could do to try and get pins.” ▶︎

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Diane Dray, 77, entered eternal life on December 2, 2024. She was the daughter of Charles and Ola (Marshall) Conrad who preceded her in death. Diane was married to Fred Dray who also preceded her in death. 

She is survived by her sister, Charlene (Harold "Bud") King of Bluffton, Ohio; nephew Christopher Lee of Findlay, Ohio; and numerous cousins and friends, including her pet cat, Elvis. Diane grew up in Bluffton, and after graduating college, moved to Spring Arbor, Michigan, where she and her husband established their home. 

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Alven Albert Osting, age 93, of Troy, OH passed away on November 30, 2024 at SpringMeade Health Care Center. He was born on November 15, 1931 in Delphos, OH to the late Frank Bernard and Veronica Mary (Elwer) Osting.

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The 131st performance of Handel's "Messiah" on Dec. 6 at Bluffton University and December 7 at University of Findlay are sold out. The combination of both performances will bring nearly 1,000 people together to enjoy this holiday tradition.

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Apollo Career Center, 3325 Shawnee Road, Lima will hold its annual Christmas at Apollo Craft Show on Saturday, December 7, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Admission is $3, children 12 and under are free. 

The proceeds from the craft show are divided among the Apollo student clubs to fund community service projects and assist students competing at state and national competitions. One of the largest shows in the region, Apollo Career Center hosts over 100 crafters selling home-made and hand-crafted wares. 

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The Village of Bluffton, Bluffton Soccer Club and Bluffton Lions Club have formed a partnership to build a 10-acre park on the north side of Snider Rd. across from the Bluffton Family YMCA. The park will be home to the first all-accessible playground in the village as well as seven new soccer fields, a shelter house, and a one-mile pathway.

A matching holiday fundraiser from December 3-31, 2024 will give donors the opportunity to have their contributions doubled by an anonymous friend of the Bluffton Soccer Club. That means a donation of $1=$2 and $50=$100. Pledges can be extended over 3 years. 

QUESTIONS
[email protected]

GIVE ONLINE
https://blufftonsoccerohio.com/donation-page/

GIVE BY CHECK
Bluffton Soccer Club
P.O. Box 21
Bluffton, OH 45817
memo: Soccer Park

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5:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, Bluffton Public Library, registration required

The Friends of the Bluffton Public Library is hosting a CO 90 Fused Glass workshop with Judith Greavu on Dec. 5. This fundraiser is a one session 3 hour class in creating an expressive glass pendant or medallion.

Multiple pieces of glass will be arranged, stacked and glued in preparation for kiln firing or fusing into one piece. It is suggested that participants base their designs on moods, feelings, or actions associated with a favorite book.

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The "IRL (in real life)" exhibit by Nicole Maye-Luga at Sauder Visual Arts Center's Grace Albrecht Gallery on the campus of Bluffton University runs through Sunday, December 8.

From the artist: "Reality is authentic. My paintings offer glimpses into everyday life, portrayed through oil...my goal is simple: to portray life as it is, without embellishment or distortion. Through keen observation and dedication, I aim to convey the beauty of ordinary moments."

The closing reception will be held on Sunday, December 8 from 1:00-3:30 p.m.

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The Pandora United Methodist Church Choir will be presenting their Christmas Cantata "Season of Praise" written by Joseph M. Martin on Sunday, December 8 at 9:30 a.m. during the worship service.

The church service and refreshments after are open to the public. The choir is directed by Pat Basinger and accompanied by Pat Michel. The church is located on State Route 12 at 108 E Washington Street in Pandora. 

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Click photos to enter Gallery mode and view at your own pace.

By Paula Pyzik Scott

For Bluffton’s 2024 Blaze of Lights festival and parade, it seemed like a little North Pole weather drifted south to Ohio on November 30. But most folks were bundled up and prepared to handle temps in the mid-20s.

The Blaze of Lights is steeped in tradition–including parade narration and recitation of the Christmas story by the Town Crier (Kevin Gratz), music including the Bluffton High School Show Choir, a big, dynamic parade with float competition and the lighting of the Ream Folk Art display at Main and Cherry streets.

The event is also spiced with a handful of innovations each year. For 2024, there was a new house for Santa, Mrs. Claus and their guests in the alley across from the Ream Folk Art Display. An Allen County Regional Transit trolley provided rides to see more holiday lights. The parade’s grand marshal was Bluffton’s first Olympian, Trevor Bassitt–who ran the 400m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics. ▶︎

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