Around Pickerington

The Fairfield County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 121 W. Mulberry St., in Lancaster, will hold the following blood drives (for information call (740) 687-5585):

•May 28 – Bloodmobile at Seton Parish, 600 Hill Road N., Pickerington from 1-7 p.m. Call Becky at (614) 833-4154 to schedule an appointment.

•May 28 – Bloodmobile at Lithopolis United Methodist Church, 80 N. Market St., Lithopolis, from 12:30-6:30 p.m.  Call (614) 837-2230 to schedule an appointment.

•May 31 – Bloodmobile at Pope John XXIII Parish, 5170 Winchester Southern Road, Canal Winchester, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (614) 920-1563 to schedule an appointment.

Walk-ins are welcome. All presenting donors will be eligible for a weekly $100 gas card and also be eligible for a grand prize of $1,000 gift card at end of May.

At the Pickerington Library

Activities at the Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way (call (614) 837-4104 or visit www.pickeringtonlibrary.org for information):

•Stitch & Chat – Meets every third Saturday of the month at 2 p.m.  Bring your art or craft – knitting, drawing, scrap booking, etc. – and share ideas with others, as you work on your project.

•Sawtooth Sisters – Join the "Sawtooth Sisters" anytime between 6-8 p.m. every third Thursday of the month. Bring whatever sewing supplies and equipment you’ll need–whether needle & thread or your sewing machine.  

Pickerington grads sought

This year’s Pickerington High School annual alumni banquet will be the 100th reunion banquet and the reunion committee is looking for everyone who graduated from Pickerington High School in the last 100 years, especially those who graduated 50 or more years ago. The banquet will be held at Pickerington High School Central June 7 with a social hour from 5:30-6:30 p.m., the Buckeye Blend barbershop quartet from 6:30-7 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m..

The Pickerington-Violet Township Historical Society will be open so alumni can look at Violet Township memorabilia as well as find their graduating class pictures through 1981.

As part of the 5K run/walk and children’s walks, a historic walk will start anywhere from 9-11 a.m. and will finish at 1 p.m.  It will include stops at 20 significant locations throughout Olde Pickerington Village. For information on the 5K run, one mile kids runs or the historic walk, go to www.violetbicentennial.com or call 614-382-5989. For information or to make reservations for the reunion, call 614-837-7507 or email nannylegrand@aol.com.  

ADD/ADHD group

A support group for families of ADD/ADHD children is forming in the Pickerington area. Interested participants may e-mail PickADDandme@yahoo.com.

Cornhole tournament

Pickerington will host a cornhole tournament as part of the Violet Township Bicentennial Celebration Heritage Days on July 5 & 6. Prizes of $500 for first place, $300 for second place and $200 for third place will be offered. Advanced registration entry fee is $40 per team.  Registration the day of the event will be $50 per team.  Sixty-four teams of two people each may compete in this single-elimination tournament. The tournament will be held at noon on July 5 at Victory Park at the corner of Lockville Road & Park Alley in Pickerington. Registration forms may be downloaded at www.violetbicentennial.com or teams may register beginning at 11 a.m. on July 5.

Heritage Days

Pickerington and Violet Township’s "Heritage Days" will be held from noon to 9 p.m. July 5 and from noon to 8:30 p.m. on July 6 in Pickerington’s Victory Park. The event is a two day living-history festival that will include a frontier encampment, antique farm and lumber mill equipment, hay rides, a vintage baseball game between PYAA Coaches and the Ohio Historical Society Muffins, entertainment and food all day. For information on Heritage Days and other Violet Township bicentennial events, go to www.violetbicentennial.com or call (614) 382-5989.

Fingerprinting halted

The Pickerington Police Department will no longer do FBI fingerprinting until further notice. According to police officials, many changes have occurred in the process and in order to maintain expediency for  clients, the police department is in the process of obtaining updated equipment. Public notification will take place as soon as the new equipment arrives. The Pickerington Police Department will continue to provide electronic BCI fingerprint services.

Fighting cancer

Several Ohio Virtual Academy elementary-school students will hold "Alex’s Lemonade Stand" and bake sale in front of Moments With Majesty Christian Bookstore, 1242 Hill Road N. in Pickerington, on May 31 from 1:30-5:30 p.m. Proceeds raised will go to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to help find a cure for childhood cancer.  For information on the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit www.alexslemonade.org

Pickerington Relay for Life

The American Cancer Society, the nation’s leading voluntary health organization, has selected Alice Krumm RN, BSN, MS, CNOR, to serve as honorary chair for this year’s Relay For Life of Pickerington on June 21.

"In May 2006, at age 38, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  With two young children at home, I knew I would do whatever it took to survive. I opted for an extremely aggressive treatment including a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy and five other surgeries that year," said Krumm. "As treatment began, I soon discovered even the simplest tasks were no longer ‘simple.’ Although I knew for the most part this would be temporary, I did not anticipate the frustrations that day-to-day living now created. Because I did not plan, these obstacles were utterly unexpected. This led to extreme anxiety, which left me both physically and emotionally exhausted.

"It was during this time that I had many defining moments. The most poignant was the realization that I had the ability to help others through this journey. This is why I started Beyond Pink and wrote "I Didn’t Order This Pink Ribbon," which was published this month by Lucky Press, an Ohio publisher. I offer my perspective with candor based on my experiences throughout treatment as well as my knowledge as a surgical nurse. It is my hope this information will give patients and caregivers courage and empowerment not only during treatment, but for a lifetime."

Information is available at www.beyondpinkonline.com. "I Didn’t Order This Pink Ribbon," is available on Amazon.com, in paperback, $14.99.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life brings together teams from local businesses, schools, churches and families for food, fun, music, entertainment and a night under the stars – while team members take turns walking or running on the Pickerington North High School track.  All monies raised from the Relay For Life of Pickerington will go to cancer research, education, advocacy and service. Now in its ninth year, Pickerington Relay has raised $309,383 over the past eight years.

"The American Cancer Society’s vital research, education, advocacy, and patient services are leading the way to eliminating cancer as a major health problem," said Chris Prater, 2008 Relay For Life planning committee chair. "I’m proud to participate in Relay For Life. We are saving lives and helping local cancer patients."

The American Cancer Society is the leading nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States.

 For information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit the American cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org. or see the Pickerington Relay For Life Web site at www.pickrelay.org.

Flag retirement ceremony

Violet Grange 36 Lockville Road Pickerington,  in conjunction with Boy Scout Troop #256,  will host a flag retirement ceremony on June 9 at 7:30 p.m.  The speaker will be Viola Wayne President of the Ohio State Grange. Citizens are encouraged to bring soiled or torn flags to be appropriately retired.  Flags may also be dropped off at Oldham, Turner, Reade Insurance at 35 W. Church St. in Pickerington during office hours.

POP Arts