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Moss on the Rock
LEIC 2025 Calendars Available
The 2025 Lake Erie Islands Conservancy calendars are still on sale for $20 each. They are available at the Island Hardware Store or at Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center. They can be shipped to you for $3 per calendar or by contacting Lisa Brohl at (419) 366-2087 or leiconservancy@gmail.com. Thanks to our sponsors, photographers, writers, and editors Michelle Pennington, Lisa Brohl and Susan Byrnes and to Tom at Minute Man Press for their excellent work! Thanks also to Paula Ziebarth, Amy and Brian Alford for their help with Nature Notes. The calendar cover is a photo of a damselfly by Elizabeth Schweitzer! There are great photos this year from a variety of island photographers. The LEIC may be offering special prints made from the photos if interested.
Going Places!
There’s no doubt about it! Island folk like to travel even in December as the holidays are upon us. Simona Michael from the Park Place Boat Club was on a Caribbean cruise and so was Dave Schafer from Ashley’s. Chip Duggan and his son, Dan, visited Duggan’s Reef, a restaurant in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Dustin Shaffer from Island Air Taxi and his two sons, Jaxson and Donovan, were out skiing in Colorado. One of their stops was the Goat Soup & Whiskey in Keystone. PIB Village Administrator Anne Auger was also skiing out west, but in Wyoming with two of her sons. Paul Jeris was way out in the Pacific Ocean where he visited his 148th and 149th countries, Tawara Kiiribati and Nauru. Joan and Roger Rhoad from East Point, Brian and Justine Rhoad Cultice from Jeris Ln. and Mike and Jill Koch from the Brewery were in Mexico celebrating Mike and Jill’s 10th anniversary. Later in December, Brian and Justine and their daughter Evie along with grandparents Roger and Joan Rhoad visited Frankenmuth, Michigan. Kira Hubner and Roberta Scarpelli spent time in Kentucky familiarizing themselves with the Bourbon Trail. Among those who spent time in Key West were Paula Garsteck, Amanda and Bryan Gilles, Michael and Anita McCann, Austin and Caitlin Bolyard, Ty Winchester, Jen Yaw, Michael and Amanda McCaffrey. Patrick and Jessica Bova visited Dry Tortugas National Park off the Florida Keys.
2025 Community Swim/Sale Dates
For those of you who are planning ahead for this summer, the dates for the Community Swim/Sail Program are Monday, June 9th, through Friday, July 11th. Registration and information for the 2025 season will be coming soon! The youth sailing and swim programs cater to all levels, from beginners to experienced racers. In the pool, the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim Curriculum is followed. Join us this summer for fun on the water and in the pool at Put-in-Bay! Registration deadline: TBD.
Friends-of-the-Bay Event, Fort Myers January 24-27, 2025
Bob Gatewood will be entertaining crowds for a “Friends-of-the-Bay” event at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Fort Myers, Florida in late January. The event, named after Gatewood’s popular song of the same name, goes from January 24th to 27th. Many island businesses are helping to promote and sponsor the event including putinbay.com.
Many Ohio travelers visit Fort Myers in the winter months and have been talking about having a big southern party to see their friends in the off-season. This January it will happen in grand fashion, and why not bring Bob Gatewood, who wrote the song that the event is named after.
Here’s the tentative schedule. The event starts off on Friday, January 24th, with afternoon fun and beverages at the Lighthouse Tiki Bar. On Saturday, Gatewood hits the stage at the Margaritaville Beach Resort from noon until 4 p.m. and the party goes on. Sunday, there’s a beach party at Lani Lai and Monday they might even stay for a pool party at Margaritaville. For more info about this weekend of fun in Fort Myers, check out putinbay.com and bobgatewood.com.
Summer Jobs At Stone Lab
Students who take classes at Stone Lab are eligible for part time jobs helping out with some interesting seasonal jobs. They can be a Biological Field Station Assistant who helps with the Lab’s Science Field Trip Program from April until November, and they get housing and most meals free. Stone Lab Student Assistants work under the general direction of the Stone Lab Manager assisting in all day-to-day operations of the Stone Lab program. The are 3-day per week jobs that are opposite classes. Also available are part time dining and residence jobs, and a sustainability coordinator position that assists with day-to-day operations of dining hall and residences.
Pizza & Wings Day On Jan. 31st
By the end of January, Islanders are ready for some good hot pizza and/or wings. On Friday, January 31st, the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club will be delivering pizzas and/or wings to your door from 5 to 7 p.m. The pizzas can also be picked up at the yacht club. Please place orders starting Monday, January 27th, until 4 p.m. Friday the 31st by call (419) 285-4505 or email manager@pibyc.org. Specify delivery or pickup. Provide your address, time and order. Pizzas will be $15.95 with a choice of toppings, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, banana peppers, onions, black olives and colored peppers. Jumbo Bone-in Wing (8) will cost $14.95, and Boneless Wings (8) are $11.95. Choice of sauces include buffalo, BBQ, teriyaki, sweet thai chili and garlic parmesan.
Winter Doldrums
Put-in-Bay Yacht Club’s Winter Doldrums party will take place at the Fairfield-Marriott in Port Clinton on January 17th and 18th. On Friday evening there will be socializing at the hotel. On Saturday, there will be a meeting at the Camp Perry Conference Center followed by dinner at 1812 Food & Spirits on Catawba.
Christmas Light Winners
The six members of PIB’s Girl Scout Cadet Troop 10128 headed out the evening of Tuesday, December 17th, to judge Christmas lights on the island. After travelling the island from one end to the other, Billy and Sherry Kowalski won the $100 first prize, Kyle and Brook Wertenbach $75 for second prize and Brian and Justine Cultice $25 for third prize. Honorable mention went to the Crew’s Nest.
Island Chopped Challenge
One of the interesting events this month is the “Island Chopped Challenge” at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, January 24th. Three local chefs will battle it out to be named the Chopped Champion. You’re invited to join in the battle for $5 to attend, sample and vote.
Family Movie Night
Girl Scout Troop #10828 is looking to host a Family Night at the movies on Saturday, January 11th, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall. Admission is $5/person and includes a bag of popcorn. Additional snacks are available for purchase. The movie will be “Wonka.”
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please visit the Put-in-Bay Gazette subscription form. This piece of Put-in-Bay journalism has been provided to putinbayohio.com courtesy of the Put-in-Bay Gazette, Put-in-Bay’s only local newspaper. Visit their website putinbay.news for more information and to subscribe!
