Bowling Green Breaks Ground on New Inclusive Playground
With a groundbreaking ceremony on June 2, Wood County Plays celebrated the first steps toward construction of a new, inclusive playground in Bowling Green at Carter Park.
Wood County Plays was founded in 2019 to create playgrounds where children of differing abilities can play side-by-side.
“They allow those with special needs and their families a place to play and grow along with their typically developing family and friends,” their website reports, explaining that “all of our playgrounds address not just physical accessibility concerns, but also give safe play for children with sensory, emotional, or cognitive disorders a place to play like never before – side by side with their peers!”
The new RallyCap Sports Inclusive Playground at Carter Park, located at 401 Campbell Hill Rd., will center around a wheelchair accessible log, a five-foot-high artificial turf hillside and slides, the first wheelchair swing in Bowling Green, and a seven-foot-high climbing course. The playgrounds WCP constructs are also equipped with rubberized surfaces, ramps, and fencing for children who are prone to wander off.
“I’m excited to be partnering with Wood County Plays and am thrilled that they selected Bowling Green as the next location for an Inclusive Playground build,” said Mayor Mike Aspacher in an interview with 13abc. “I’m looking forward to the construction of this new space that will allow for individuals of all abilities to play side by side in a well-designed and safe environment.”
WCP’s first inclusive playground, presented by Mercy Health, opened in July of 2021 in Perrysburg, at Rotary Community Park, located at 26350 Fort Meigs Rd.
Though there is no completion date for the RallyCap Sports Inclusive Playground currently, the latest news in late September 2022 is that the team has installed much of the equipment thanks to the help of many volunteers. For the latest news, follow RallyCap Sports on Facebook. To learn more about Wood County Plays, or to donate for the construction of the playground at Carter Park, click here.
PJ Library’s “A Time To Grow” Family Jewish Holidays Guide Now Available
PJ Library is offering more resources for families during the High Holidays this year.
Stuffed with activities, recipes and rituals covering Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year), Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, PJ Library’s new edition of A Time To Grow: A PJ Library Family Guide for Starting the Jewish New Year is available to download now in English, Spanish and Portuguese at pjlibrary.org/grow.
For the first time, A Time To Grow is available in print; paperback copies of the guide will soon be available for purchase from the PJ Library store on Amazon.com. PJ Library subscribers are receiving copies in the mail as part of their free subscriptions.
The newly expanded guide for 2022 offers engaging activities like “Make Your Own Shofar,” baking “Challah in the Round” and “Crafting a Torah.” Parents and kids can learn about the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah, how to cast away mistakes with the cleansing ceremony of Tashlich, create a “kindness wheel” for the New Year, make a mini play sukkah and learn step-by-step celebrations, including blessings all aimed at making the High Holidays meaningful, memorable and fun.
PJ Library also offers audio treats in September with festive, specially selected playlists and music videos, as well as the recent launch of the second season of the Parents’ Choice and NAPPA Award-winning podcast, “Afternoons with Mimi.” In the new episode “Kiddo Learns about Forgiveness,” Mimi retells the salty story of Jonah, a Yom Kippur tradition. Families can also find curated playlists and music videos perfect for the high holidays, Sukkot and Simchat Torah at https://pjlibrary.org/listen.
PJ Library mails more than 240,000 age-appropriate, expertly curated Jewish children’s books to children around North America every month. Over 16 years, PJ Library has gifted 50 million books to children. This free program for families raising Jewish kids from birth through 12 years old, offers books that capture children’s imaginations with fun characters and vibrant illustrations. PJ Library stories are a fun, easy way to share Jewish culture and values with children.
A sample recipe from the PJ Library High Holidays guide and A Time To Grow can be found below, and other symbolic foods for Rosh Hashanah can be found here.
Recipe courtesy of PJ Library
- 2022
Ingredients
To make two (egg-free!) round challah breads you’ll need:
- 1½ Tablespoons yeast
- 2½ cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon, plus ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 8 cups flour
- 1 cup raisins (optional)
Directions
Dissolve the yeast in the water with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Whisk the mixture together, then add the oil, salt, and remaining sugar. Add the flour gradually, mixing well and then working it in with your hands. Take turns kneading as a family for about 10-15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Work in the raisins (optional). Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, let the dough warm to room temperature, then punch it down and separate into two portions.
Braid a Round Challah
Challah is usually shaped in a simple long braid, but you can turn any challah recipe into a Rosh Hashanah recipe by braiding it in the round.
- When you reach the braiding stage, shape the dough into six strands of equal length.
- Lay three strands horizontally on a floured surface, then weave the other three strands into them vertically. Lift the bottom strands as needed to weave the top strands in. The ends of the strands will stick out.
- Now braid the ends together on all four sides. Gently tuck the braided edges underneath the middle section. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to create your second loaf.
- Grease two round baking tins and transfer your loaves into them. Let the dough rise for another hour, then bake at 350 degrees for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. If desired, glaze with a mixture of warm honey and a drop of water
Partners In Education Moves To Create More Community Connections
New location. Same Mission.
In 1994, Partners in Education was founded by the Toledo Rotary with the mission for “student success through community engagement.” The idea was to connect local businesses with schools in order to support, mentor, and volunteer. With career-readiness programs, field trips to colleges and business, and volunteer training programs, PIE has flourished and has become known as an “innovator and incubator for new program models that improve pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade student academic achievement and personal well-being.” (Partners in Education) “We look for partnerships in the community so that we can share resources, build programs, and work together to help Toledo-area students,” explained Brooke Schlageter, PIE’s Executive Director.
PIE is funded through both corporate and individual donors, the Department of Job and Family Services, United Way and Toledo Rotary, along with other grants and fundraising sources.
The programs PIE offers have had a huge impact on students. Teachers have said the students love going to the mentoring sessions, and that they always see reading progress. “The program is a huge hit,” one teacher said. “My students begged to go!” Another teacher discussed not only the academic impact it had on students, but the emotional one as well: “They would come back to class beaming when they had a good session, and I know that made them feel very special.”
Over the years, PIE had an office space due to the support of Toledo Public Schools. However, PIE outgrew the space and in June moved to 709 Madison Avenue, where the organization will continue to work with the community to help local students.
Schlageter explained that Toledo Public Schools were gracious to offer space for PIE to flourish, but with a new Board President (Andy Spahr), and Schlageter as Executive Director, the organization saw an opportunity for a new beginning. “This move has given us a great opportunity to re-envision what the future of PIE looks like and make even more community connections,” Schlageter said.
Student centered
Over the course of 28 years, PIE’s programs might have shifted and changed, but “students have always been at the center of what we do,” explained Schlageter. This fall, PIE looks forward to continuing its main programs, Mentors in Toledo Schools, which “focuses on increasing literacy skills for students K-3.” This program pairs a student one-on-one with a trained mentor in order to meet the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
PIE will also continue its College and Career Ready, Set, Go! Program that “offers opportunities for students to build skills and learn about college and career readiness in preparation for postsecondary opportunities in education or in the workforce.”
Schlageter explained that PIE also co-chairs the Northwest Ohio After School Alliance which focuses on afterschool and summer programming so students can maintain academic progress and continue to be enriched academically, socially, and emotionally.
This year, PIE will launch a pilot program that combines literacy and social-emotional growth with outdoor education. “What I love most about this program is the collaboration with Mosaic Ministries, Toledo Museum of Art, The Toledo Zoo, and Toledo’s MetroParks,” Schlageter said. “The collective impact model really speaks to PIE’s mission.”
The programs PIE offers affects the mentors as well. One mentor said he signed up assuming this was solely for the benefit of the students, but found that it was “fuel for the soul.”
Another mentor expressed, “What a joy this has been. Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to work with kids! It fills my heart.”
PIE looks forward to continuing its work in the lives of Toledo-area students. Schlageter added that “sometimes a whole class of students have their hands raised when we walk in, hoping to be selected to come with us.”
The organization is always looking for volunteers, including the following:
To learn more about PIE, visit their website, partnerstoledo.org.
Toledo’s Pediatric Exercise Program will help Youth Get Healthy
We’ve often been reminded by our doctors of the importance of exercise. Not only can it decrease the risk of disease, help with managing weight, and improve the quality of your sleep, but it can also help with mental health. It is clear that it is somewhat essential to move your body regularly. Even so, for our youth, getting exercise is not as easy as it used to be. Electronics often make getting outside and enjoying nature seem less appealing.
To help encourage exercise for kids, Dr. Wendy Wexler and Carrie Baker, CPNP, are working together to build a new pediatric exercise program.
Dr. Wexler and Baker are both practicing medical professionals at Maumee Bay Pediatrics through The Toledo Clinic. They specialize in helping young patients with overall physical wellness, ADHD/ADD management, acute and chronic conditions, weight management, and mental health. It is their hope that this new program will help young patients with their physical, mental, and social well-being.
The benefits of nature
The Peds Exercise Program is set to begin next spring and will be modeled off the Parkrx program, a movement that began in 2013 when park associations began noticing a trend: medical professionals were prescribing nature to help their patients with physical and mental health.
Since that time, the collaboration between medical professionals and parks has continued to grow, and with Toledo’s Peds Exercise Program, it will have a local impact as well. With the amazing park system we have in Toledo, it seems like a great way to encourage children to get out and enjoy the nature our area has to offer.
Dr. Wexler explained that the plan for her program is to have school-aged children meet twice a month at various Toledo parks and walk two to three miles with a guardian and no electronics.
“The purpose is to improve children’s overall health, get them with other children in-person to socialize, and to be in nature,” she said.
While all school aged children will be encouraged to participate, she explained that children who are not already involved in school sports or travel clubs would benefit more, as well as students who have been socially isolated, or who have dealt with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety.
Instilling a healthy lifestyle
By focusing on children with this program, Dr. Wexler is hoping it will eventually increase the number of adults who are living a healthy lifestyle. When a healthy lifestyle is instilled in a person at a young age, it’s easier for that individual to carry on their healthy lifestyle in the future.
When a child and their guardian attend one of the bi-monthly gatherings, they can expect a fun time while enjoying nature. Additionally, Dr. Wexler is hoping to include some short explanations on various health-related topics such as how to stretch effectively or what to look for in proper footwear as well.
Parents interested in getting their child involved in the Peds Exercise Program will be able to enroll their child through a link on the Maumee Bay Pediatric website closer to next spring.
Celebrating the Construction of Shoreland Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary
On August 8, Washington Local School District hosted two ribbon-cutting ceremonies to announce the newly-constructed Shoreland Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary. Among some of those present at the ceremony were school faculty, future students, school district board members, as well as Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and State Representative Lisa Sobecki.
The construction of Shoreland Elementary and Silver Creek Elementary was prompted by the district’s overcrowded, outdated buildings. These elementary schools are the first buildings to be replaced by the school district in 60 years. Compared to older buildings in the district, they feature improved safety, greater energy efficiency, better technology, and updated furniture.
Spaces in the new schools are designed to better accommodate the learning of students with diverse needs and allow for increased natural lighting to create a more welcoming atmosphere. Although the two buildings are generally mirror images of each other, Silver Creek is larger and houses two teacher cafes instead of one.
The Washington Local School District is thankful for voter support, which helped approve the bond issue and operating levy used in the construction of these two new buildings. With the finished construction of these two schools, Washington Local School District looks forward to the next phase of its construction projects.