“A beacon of beauty,” is how Charlie Oswanski, facilities superintendent, describes the new King Road library branch, now under construction. The 22,239 square foot library will be complete in August 2016 and will have an all glass side facing King Road and low shelving to be able to enjoy the outside scenery. Oswanski notes the library service model is changing rapidly, and this branch will accommodate those who are on the go, homebound, and also the tech savvy. With a 24 hour lobby complete with a media box to rent materials and automatic lockers to pick up books on reserve, these features will accommodate busy adults who are not able to come during library hours. There will also be a Maker’s Space with audio visual capabilities and 3D printers. The King Road branch will also have a very active outreach center to bring library services into the community. There will be a monthly homebound delivery service. They will also offer an early literacy mobile, book mobile, and book hauler to take to nursing homes and preschools around the city. When designing this branch, they really thought of the changing times of technology and the patrons who are busy.
Girls on the Run are Running for Life Skills
Body shaming, bullying, and choosing the right crowd are all things that many young people will encounter as they grow up in this day and age, and these are some of the topics Girls on the Run (GOTR) confronts head on. GOTR is a non-profit organization that is very unique in that it not only teaches sports skills, but skills for life. Girls on the Run of Northwest Ohio (NWO) services Lucas, Wood, Fulton, and Hancock counties, and currently has 20 school hosts to run the program. Young girls from third through fifth grade are taught that they can succeed at anything with planning and goal setting and they are taught how to make difficult decisions that they may encounter later in life. The end of the session is marked with a non-competitive 5K run that the girls are trained to complete.
Community 5K at Fallen Timbers, 3100 Main St #1599, Maumee
Friday, November 21
419-318-9211
If you would like to donate, become a host for GOTR at your location, or sign up, visit girlsontherunnwohio.org
Cool New Pool Site at Sylvania Country Club
In the summer, any pool is cool. That is especially true of the new Aquatic Center at the Sylvania Country Club. In anticipation of the club’s 100th anniversary in 2016, officials decided to modernize the pool area with something for everybody. Kids will find the resort slide to be the highlight, while parents will appreciate the zero-depth entry to the pools. New decking around the pool circles a new “baby” pool with a toddler-sized fountain, and the extension to the original pool features a mushroom fountain for extra fun for older kids. Canvas shades protect guests from the sun, but there are also plenty of chairs for sun worshippers. Families can enjoy sandwiches and salads in the café in the new pavilion building, which also includes a full-service bar, large screen TV for the grown-ups, and a locker room. The Center will be open during the summer from 11am-8pm on weekdays and 10-8 on weekends, with three or four lifeguards on duty at all times. Plans for the future include adding a basketball court; for now, a tennis court is a short walk through the pavilion.
5201 Corey Rd., Sylvania
419-882-2082 | sylvaniacc.org
UT Health Opens Family Medicine Center
Patients and families looking for primary care physicians should take a look at the doctors working at the recently opened University of Toledo Health Family Medicine Center at Glendale Medical East. They are accepting new patients and offering new patient appointments within 24 hours and same-day sick appointments. In the newly renovated building, which formerly housed the Veterans Affairs Outpatient clinic, family care physicians will offer a wide range of services for patients of all ages, including urgent care, routine care for any illness, preventative health visits, weight management and school and sports physicals. Patients will also find newborn, infant, and child care, gynecology care, family planning, as well as vaccinations and sports medicine services. Staffers in the Geriatric Center, formerly located at Lutheran Homes at Wolf Creek, will offer care and services for the elderly, including nursing home care and home visits, when necessary. The 28,000 square foot facility will also offer laboratory services and minor surgery along with the family residency program, which since 2007 has called the campus of St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee home.
Steve Bailey, clinic manager of the UT Health Family Medicine Center, notes the Center “…puts all these related services, which used to be spread out all over the area, together in one location. Having a center close to the resources at UTMC is more convenient for the patients and makes for better medicine.”
The Family Medicine Center, 3333 Glendale Avenue
Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm
Call 419 383-5555
Ten Great Field Trips
Fort Meigs
29100 W. River Rd. Perrysburg, OH
419-874-4121 | fortmeigs.org
A fun way to incorporate some local history is a visit to Fort Meigs. The War of 1812 Battlefield is open for self guided tours of the fort and museum from April to October. With re-enactors dressed in period clothing along with weapon demonstrations, this is sure to be a hit with kids. The fort also offers a scavenger hunt on its website that will keep the children engaged and learning while having fun. Fort Meigs offers special events throughout the year including the Garrison Ghost Walk in October which is always a hit for kids and adults.
Walleye Games
500 Jefferson Ave. Toledo, OH 43606
419-725-9255 | toledowalleye.com
The Mud Hen’s season might be drawing to an end, but that only means that Toledo Walleye games will soon begin. For all ages, whether sports fans or not, the Walleye games always make for a great time. For kids under 12, there is the Spike’s Tikes Kids Club which offers exclusive kid club events, special $10 ticket days for kids, and a discount off select merchandise. Most games also have a fun kid friendly theme, such as the upcoming “Frozen Princess Night” and “Nintendo Night.”
MacQueen’s Orchard
7605 Garden Road. Holland, OH
419-865-2916 | macqueenorchards.com
Autumn is the perfect time to visit MacQueen’s Orchard. With their large harvest of apples and their annual Apple Butter Stir, a trip to the orchard is a way to enjoy the crisp autumn weather. MacQueen’s, from mid-September to the third week of October, offers the opportunity to drive into the fields and pick your own apples. The opportunity for kids to be involved in the apple picking process is not only fun, but is a dependable way to get kids to eat the apples. The Apple Butter Stir Festival takes place October 3-4th and offers pony rides, kid rides, youth talent performances, and of course apples!
Toledo Symphony
1838 Parkwood Ave #310 Toledo, OH
419-241-1272 | toledosymphony.com
For the music lover in the family, The Toledo Symphony offers many youth and education workshops and performances. Fourth Grade Concerts are a way the symphony gets involved in local schools by performing and introducing various instruments, exciting and inspiring children about music. Young People’s Concerts are forty minute educational programs held at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle Theater. The concerts are meant for grades K-8, but older kids are always welcome. The next Young People’s Concert is November 5th and focuses on music from the opera.
Metroparks
Locations vary but more Information online at metroparkstoledo.com/metro
The Toledo Metroparks are a great way to explore nature and stay fit. Some of the many local parks include Oak Openings, Wildwood, Pearson Park, Swan Creek, and Side Cut. With locations all around Toledo, the parks offer everyone walking trails, bike paths, playgrounds, fishing, and more. Special events are always happening, and the parks include workshops for children of various ages that often focus on nature, history, or learning outdoor skills. Some of the September workshops for kids include the “Hurray for Homeschoolers: Geocaching 101”, “Wee Workshop: Seeds a Poppin’!”, “Preschool Pioneers: Work is never Done”, and “Archery 101” for the older kids. For all upcoming events check out the Toledo Metroparks online.
Ritter Planetarium-Brooks Observatory at the University of Toledo
Located on UT’s main campus, 2801 W. Bancroft St.
419-530-2650 | utoledo.edu/nsm/rpbo
With programming from September until May, the Ritter Planetarium gives students a vast look into the Milky Way and beyond. Their state-of-the-art digital projector and surround sound transports visitors through space at lightning speed. Join them in their passion to educate students on astrology and all things that happen in the sky.
Toledo Public Library
325 Michigan Street. Toledo, OH
419-259-5200 | toledolibrary.org
The public libraries in the Toledo area offer a great selection of children’s stories, but they also offer tons of events for kids. There are so many ways for kids to get involved with their local library, whether in a family activity or an event specific for their age group. For the younger children, story time sessions help focus on early literacy skills. The sessions typically include books, music, games, and crafts. An upcoming weekly program for school age children is the Mott’s Community Garden, where students will, through hands on learning, discover the benefits of gardening. For teens, a Teen Book Club is offered where teens read aloud with a librarian and enjoy snacks after the meeting. All these events and many more can be found through the Toledo Public Library website.
Toledo Firefighters Museum
918 W. Sylvania Ave.
419-478-3473 | toledofiremuseum.com
This is the place to educate students about fire prevention and safety! Founded in 1976 with the purpose of preserving the history of the Toledo Fire Division, the two-story museum is on the premises with a working fire station in remembrance of fallen fire fighters. The museum houses vintage fire equipment, Toledo’s first fire pumper and much more.
The Mazza Museum
1000 N. Main St.
419-434-4560 | mazzamuseum.org
Sunday Funday at Mazza Museum is a day of fun, art and literature, all for free! Once a month, families can enjoy arts and crafts, face painting, storytelling, snacks, shopping and more. Funday Sunday is from 1:30-3 pm at Mazza Museum located on the campus of The University of Findlay. See the schedule of events online.
Toledo Museum of Art
2445 Monroe Street, Toledo OH
419-255-8000 | toledomuseum.org
The Toledo Museum of Art is a wonderful place to simply explore alone with your kids, or to take full advantage of their offered children’s programs. The museum is not only recognized globally for its exhibits, but also for its education programs. Tours are offered for various age groups, including babies. The “Baby Tours: How Babies Respond to Art” helps developing brains receive visual stimulation in the form of art. “Toddler Time Tours” are also offered and focus on different topics, such as the upcoming Animals exhibit. For older kids, various art classes are offered that range from painting to mixed media.