Ramon "Ray" Carl Lewis, 82, passed away January 3, 2023 at Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima. Ray was born April 5, 1940 in Bluffton to the late Arthur and Cleota "Cody" (Lanning) Lewis.   

Ray was a graduate of Bluffton High School and later retired from Dana Corporation in McHenry, Illinois. Ray was a veteran of the United States Army serving during the Vietnam War and was a member of the VFW. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.  

ArtSpace/Lima will host the annual Juried Photography Exhibition from January 7-February 4,  2023. The exhibition features artists from around the region with over 100 works on display. Photographers from Ada Icon and Bluffton Icon readership areas include Wendy Chappell-Dick, Jake Collins and Rae Staton.

The  photography exhibit has cash awards for Best of Show, First, Second, and Third Place, Black and  White and Color Award, Youth Category, and an ArtSpace Award.

On January 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Bluffton Family Recreation will host a Pokemon-themed day camp.

"Bring Pokemon to life at this fun themed camp! There will also be time for campers who choose to play Pokemon with their own cards, or to trade cards with other players.

There will also be crafts, and fun Pokemon themed high energy games. 

Camp hours are 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 

Before care is 7:30-9:00 a.m.

After Care is 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Construction is proceeding on the new Yammine Lodge at Camp Berry. With the placement of the last truss, the senior patrol leader of Scouts BSA Troop 304 James Hedrick and Scout Tyler Kogan were on hand to lash a pine sapling to the last truss for a topping out ceremony. A topping out ceremony is a construction tradition that has been occurring in some fashion for centuries as a celebration of a project milestone. Traditionally, this ceremony occurs when the final structural beam is raised into place, completing the building's frame.

By Karen Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team
 

In 2022, the number one New Year’s resolution was to lose weight. Other surveys found 23% wanted to live healthier, while 21% wanted personal improvement. I would not be surprised if 2023 is similar. 

How likely is one to keep their resolution?

The statistics are surprisingly good. Survey data reported 75% maintain their resolution for one week with the number dropping to 64% at one month. At six months, 46% maintain their resolution. This is encouraging. Some psychologists suggest the best way to succeed is to be realistic, plan ahead, reward yourself, track your progress and do not beat yourself up. 

As I read the advice, it reminded me of the 1991 comedy, What About Bob?. The movie starred Bill Murray as Bob Wiley who was a troubled patient of Dr. Leo Marvin played by Richard Dreyfus. Dr. Marvin was a psychotherapist who had finished a book called Baby Steps. Murray’s character followed Dr. Marvin on vacation and befriended his family. Dr. Marvin was invited to discuss his book on morning television and the directors invited Bob to participate. Bob stole the show with his discussion of the baby step technique, while Dr. Marvin lost control of the interview. 

By Bill Herr

What was the first Bluffton High School Pirate sports team to win a state championship?

The 1981 varsity wrestling team. In wrestling at Bluffton High School, there have been 48 Pirate wrestlers that qualified for the State Championships in the 46 years between 1975 and 2021. 24 of them qualified multiple times and 7 became State Champions. The high caliber of this sport at BHS reached a peak in 1981 when the varsity wrestling team won the State Championship. This is their story.

The Board of Trustees of Bluffton Public Library has announced its meeting schedule for 2023. 

Meetings will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the library's Board Room at 145 South Main St., Bluffton. No meetings will take place in July or December.

Board meetings are open to the public. Board members are:

Bob Beer, president

Nancy Yeager, vice president

Carrie Phillips, secretary

Amy Lehman Mikesell

Robert Scott

From Ryan DeMarco, CRPC™
Edward Jones Financial Advisor, 111 N. Main St., Bluffton, 567-226-4506

Cybercrime is booming. In 2021, the FBI reported that cybercriminals scammed nearly $7 billion from Americans — a figure slightly higher than the gross domestic product (GDP) of Switzerland for that year, according to research organization World Economics. How can you protect yourself from cyberthieves?