This month your child will be highly empathetic when spending time with you. Mars is hitting their sun sign and making them feel the need to be home. So the perfect birthday you can give them is time with you. Because your child is so sensitive, ask them how they could best spend their birthday, and then plan a special night with them. Ask if they would like to have a few friends join. Leave it up to them. It’s essential to make sure that you let your child know all their favorites will be included. Starting a tradition at a very young age is essential. Knowing their favorite cake and ice cream and preparing it for them is crucial. This year they’re going to want to get their hands into the preparation, so let them go shopping with you and make the cake together. No matter their age, they can still learn to make food with you. Making the cake will be the most eventful time of their birthday. When you go to the store, ask them to pick out what they would like to decorate it with, and let them be creative. Assure them that you are excited to make the cake with them. It’s also important to instill confidence in them by following their lead. They may seem a little nervous, but by standing by their side and helping them, you will accomplish amazing things together this year. They will have learned how to bake and co-create with you. A wonderful evening was made especially for them. I wish you and your Pisces child the happiest of birthdays!
There are two playgrounds on site for little kiddos like Townes to enjoy. Photo by Matthew Sackmann
In late summer/early fall of last year, my husband and I got it into our head that our toddler was ready for our very first family camping trip. But, as the months went on, the weather had gotten too chilly. The two of us wouldn’t have minded roughing it, but camping outside in the freezing cold with our toddler didn’t seem like a good idea.
Luckily, we found out that KOA Campgrounds not only offer campsites for tent and RV camping, but they also have some neat little cabins that would be the perfect cold weather getaway for our family. We were looking for something out in the middle of nowhere with some simple, wholesome fun, and we found it in Canton at the Canton/East Sparta KOA, which is about two and a half hours from Toledo.
A bumpy start
On our way to Canton, we made a stop to do some thrifting (one of our favorite pastimes), then continued on our journey until we heard the telltale sound of impending vomit. Townes is typically not a barfy kid, so we always worry a bit when he does throw up. And we were right. He started to get feverish, developed a runny nose and cough…the whole nine yards. He did manage to keep having fun despite it all, but it was a sad development during our adventure!
Our KOA Deluxe cabin had a full bathroom, a fireplace, and a TV with cable access…winter glamping at its finest!
We were certainly grateful that we hadn’t opted for tent camping once we found out Townes was sick, and we were even happier when we arrived at our lodgings for the next couple of nights. The deluxe cabin comes with a fully equipped kitchen, queen sized bed, dining table and fireplace in the main room, plus a full bath with shower, and a separate bedroom with bunk beds and a small desk. It also has a cute porch with a swing and bench, not far from a gas grill and a cozy firepit.
When we checked in at the main desk, we were told that there wasn’t as much activity on the grounds because it was late fall, but we found plenty to do. Since Townes was sick, we were taking it easy with him anyway. There were two playgrounds, a cute game room where we played pool and arcade games, and a quiet, hilly landscape to enjoy walking around.
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Photo by Matthew Sackmann
Our KOA Deluxe cabin had a full bathroom, a fireplace, and a TV with cable access...winter glamping at its finest!
A Deluxe Cabin in the Canton/East Sparta KOA, a two-bedroom facility with all the amenities you need.
Photo by Matthew Sackmann
Photo by Matthew Sackmann
Photo by Matthew Sackmann
Honestly, it was comfortable at the end of the day to curl up in the queen bed together and watch Frozen with Townes after heading to the local grocery store to find Children’s Tylenol and Zyrtec for him. Poor little guy.
If you are looking for a quiet getaway during the winter, I would definitely recommend staying at this KOA Campground site, particularly in one of these cabins. It was simple, quality time together without any decision fatigue. We just enjoyed nature, driving through Amish country, and spending time with each other.
If you do visit the KOA Campground in the warmer months, you’ll find that there is a pool, horseback riding, ATV trails, paddle boat rentals, and all kinds of weekend activities. Peruse their website for more information if you want to book a trip! The Deluxe Cabins typically cost $170/night and pets are allowed for a fee. There are also simpler Camping Cabins that cost $90/night, tent sites for $40/night, and RV sites for around $60/night. All amenities you need are on site, from bath houses to a general store at the main office complete with snacks, over-the-counter medicine, souvenirs, adult beverages and more.
Before heading back to Toledo, we decided to go to the Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens because Townes was feeling much better at that point. We knew that the site had some of the most impressive model trains we’d ever heard of, all carved by the World’s Master Carver Ernest “Mooney” Warther. Townes is so into trains that we figured it would be a hit, and we were right!
From the antique engines out front to the beautifully displayed craftsmanship inside, it is truly a crowd pleaser for all ages. Little kids like Townes will enjoy climbing on board the trains outside and seeing the mechanized depiction of early twentieth century factory life, while adults will marvel at the historic artifacts like narwhal tusks and other rare forms of ivory used for carving, along with an exact replica of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train (down to a tiny key that unlocks an interior door).
There is so much artistry to be admired at this museum and, if you have a kid who is crazy about trains, it’s certainly a family favorite when visiting this area of Amish country.
Tickets for the museum cost $6-$18 and children under age four get in for free. It’s open every day from 10am-4pm. Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens, 331 Karl Ave., Dover. 330-505-6003. thewarthermuseum.com
Head Start teachers hold bachelor’s or an associate degrees (working towards bachelor’s degree) in education or related fields.
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) provides affordable childcare and preschool services through Head Start at multiple locations in the greater Toledo area. Starting at age three, kids can be enrolled for preschool and childcare services. They also offer Early Head Start for ages infant to three years old. Their mission is to “create partnerships and opportunities to help individuals, families and communities thrive.”
With locations in Bowling Green, Perrysburg, Sylvania and Toledo, GLCAP partners with childcare centers in each of these cities and the Partnership also provides services in Seneca, Ottawa, and Sandusky Counties.
Engaging education
GLCAP Head Start offers a play-based curriculum that is taught by well-qualified teachers with bachelor’s degrees in education or related fields, or by teachers with an associate’s degree working toward their bachelor’s. Head Start places an emphasis on having fun while learning. Play-based learning helps children develop in many areas, including problem solving, executive function, language and reading skills. Children are being taught how to collaborate with one another and how to express their emotions. This also helps lay the foundation for counting, sorting and recognizing patterns. All of these skills and more assist them as they prepare for kindergarten and new social interactions.
Standing apart
Head Start follows a play-based curriculum and support to students’ families.
Several aspects of GLCAP make the partnership unique. One of them being the opportunities for parents to play an active role in the program and school. Alex Boroff, PR Director of GLCAP, explains, “Head Start programs provide multiple opportunities for parent engagement and leadership, such as site policy councils on which parents may serve to represent Head Start families, help to set program goals and perform other leadership duties.”
Further contributing to their mission to help communities thrive, Head Start also offers medical, dental, nutrition and mental health services for the students in their programs. Childcare is provided as an extension after the school day ends for parents who are going to school or working. Children are offered hands-on learning activities throughout the day, even when school has ended. In addition, they receive a daily meal and snack.
Home visits and conferences are also a regular part of the program. Families receive at least two home visits per school year and two parent-teacher conferences. This helps keep parents involved in their children’s education and provide support to the whole family.
How to apply for services
Families at or below the 100 percent federal poverty line qualify for the Head Start and free childcare services. Families may qualify if they are above the poverty line and this is determined on a case by case basis. Head Start also serves children in foster care, those experiencing homelessness and those who receive SNAP benefits. Programs are federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Offices of Head Start.
Applications can be completed online at glcap.org/headstart or glcap.org/earlyheadstart. Families are encouraged to apply even if they are over the Federal Poverty Line, as they may still be able to receive services. Referrals are also provided.
Zachary Crowe, a pre-med student from Toledo, had never considered founding a nonprofit. “It was an accident. The idea was just to make some shirts and raise some money to give to an organization…I wanted to give kids something that I didn’t have.”
Growing up with Family Addiction
Crowe knows firsthand the devastating impacts of substance abuse and family addiction on young people. He grew up with a family member who was addicted to heroin. He shares that there are devastating aspects of living with someone suffering from addiction that people don’t always realize, both financially and emotionally. Children are affected whether the person who is addicted recovers or not.
In families with addiction, there are a variety of roles that children might take on to cope. One such role is the hero role which inspired the name for the organization. Children who take on the hero role in a family with addiction often focus on academics or athletics, and it can appear that they are successful and responsible. But Crowe knows that they end up burying their anger and sadness, creating a negative impact on their relationships and causing them to be unhappy.
After raising a few hundred dollars selling t-shirts over summer break from his undergraduate studies, Crowe began looking for an organization to donate the money. He discovered that Toledo has many services to help people who suffer with addictions; however, none were aimed at children of addicts. He realized that if he was going to give back to kids who come from a similar background, he would have to do more than raise money.
Crowe says that in the beginning, “it was just me with my t-shirts running around, not knowing what I was doing. Slowly I started bringing people onto the team. Our team is why we are successful, to be honest. Almost everyone on the team has some form of lived experience with it [family addiction], and they gravitate towards the mission.” Now twelve team members, who are also undergraduate or graduate students, lead the organization. Everyone who works with THP volunteers, so all proceeds go to the mission.
Fundraising Events
The Hero Project 419 is still a fundraising organization donating to a local organization that provides housing for families recovering from addiction. Recently, THP has also started a mentoring program for affected youth. The program, Capes for the Community, is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Victory Academy.
A core component of the program is that participants and their mentors develop, plan, and execute a philanthropy project every nine weeks. Young people are empowered by giving to others and learning soft job skills such as collaboration, leadership, and communication.
Their mentoring program has participants from a variety of demographics and identities, many are currently from UTMC medical school. Crowe notes that “substance abuse has no demographic. It has no specific wealth bracket. It can affect anyone.”
How You Can Help
Volunteer as a mentor.
“What we really need right now are more mentors. People that want to help mentor a kid who could potentially go down the wrong path if they don’t get assistance from our organization. We’re looking for people that are willing to share their skills and talents with kids and to hopefully inspire them.”
Link a young person who is affected by the addiction of a family member to the mentorship program.
Raising Money. Donations are always welcome! For more information, you can find The Hero Project 419 Inc. on Facebook or at theheroproject.net.
Calling all Kombucha lovers! After years of looking, Boochy Mama’s has announced their new location in Downtown Toledo, just a few blocks from their old location. The new location will be in the former Okun Produce warehouse, located on N. Huron St. between Monroe and Washington. More information will be released in the coming weeks. 567-318-2240. Boochymama.com
Welcome to Erin Ann’s
Located at 5661 Main St. in Downtown Sylvania, Erin Ann’s is now serving up homemade ice cream, cold pressed juices, smoothies, supplements, hot beverages and more. Everything is made with organic ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible! Open 8am-8pm Monday-Thursday, 8am-9pm Friday and Saturday, and 10am-6pm on Sunday. 419-346-6828. erinanns.square.site
The Flying Joe’s new location
You can grab a cup of Joe at the new downtown Toledo location at 215 N. Summit St., Ste. C, next to Balance Grille. You’ll find the excellent coffee, cocktails, pastries and retail items they are known for at their Perrysburg location. The Flying Joe accepts online orders. Open 7am-2pm, Monday-Friday. 419- 931- 0273. theflyingjoe.com.
Selfie WRLD
This DIY photography studio held a grand opening in December, led by owners Jessica and Andrea Hammer. Located at 3205 Central Ave., across the sidestreet from Cricket West, the shop provides themes for the perfect selfie, like retro backdrops, swings, vogue motifs and much more. Selfie WRLD is also available to rent, perfect for your tween or teen’s next birthday bash. Open 4-9pm, Wednesday-Friday, 11am-9pm on Saturday, and 11am-8pm on Sunday. 567- 315-8709. selfiewrldtol.com
Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo expansion
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo started off the year strong by opening clubs at McTigue Elementary School and Ottawa River Elementary School. Annually, Boys & Girls Clubs serve about 5,000 members across the city, but despite those numbers, the need remains great across the region. “These new sites and a continued partnership with Toledo Public Schools will allow us to reach even more Toledo youth,” said Jim Ravas, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo. Visit bgctoledo.org for more details on these locations.
Grannie Thomas reopening
The Grannie Thomas Learning Center Building closed in early January due to a fire, but this unfortunate situation was turned into an opportunity to upgrade the curriculum and gather a whole new staff! Located at 201 Superior St. in Rossford, the new location’s ribbon cutting ceremony included open enrollment. Children were given the chance to get to know staff members, programming and enrollment opportunities. To learn more about Grannie Thomas Learning, please contact Stephanie Smith at [email protected] or call 419-654-1220.
GLCAP Head Start offers a play-based curriculum that is taught by well-qualified teachers with bachelor’s degrees in education or related fields, or by teachers with an associate’s degree working toward their bachelor’s. Head Start places an emphasis on having fun while learning. 
Fundraising Events
