Cherrie Koontz of Bluffton is the Mennonite Memorial Home employee of the month for November.
She has been employed at MMH since November 1990 and is the presently the assistant dietary manager.
On Aug. 25, MMH resident Kathleen Mikkelsen was in a dilemma. How was she to feed her guests? Cherrie helped her resolve the problem with extra goodies, utensils, and then went out of her way by helping Kathleen get a pizza so she could have a nice dinner for her guests.
This extra effort is what makes Cherrie a great asset to the dietary department.
Several Bluffton University students volunteer at the Mennonite Memorial Home. As part of their class requirements, especially in the social work arena, students volunteer from 10 to 15 hours.
MMH and Maple Crest have several students doing a variety of activities which include decorating the bulletin boards, calling BINGO, passing out water to residents, cleaning bird cages, serving refreshments and playing games with residents.
Everyone loves the holidays in Bluffton. Here's one way persons interested in promoting Bluffton's various holiday light shows may help.
The Gift of Giving light show extravaganza - now in its third year to be displayed across from Harmon Field - invites the support of all area businesses, organizations and individuals. Sponsors are being invited to help defray costs of the show.
Amy Searfoss, vice president at The First National Bank of Pandora in Pandora, recently graduated from the 2010 OBL Bank Management School sponsored by the Ohio Bankers League. Searfoss was one of 24 bankers who completed the intensive one-week program in September.
Friends of the Bluffton Public Library will meet Wednesday, Nov. 3. According to Friends president Jan Potter, the meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the library's Richland Room. Officers will be elected for 2011 and finances for 2010 will be reviewed.
The organization will also discuss accomplishments from the past year and begin to coordinate volunteer activities planned for the upcoming year.
Some examples include the annual membership drive, a formal tea with Abe and Mary Todd Lincoln, spring and fall book sales, the Community Garage Sale, and a golf scramble.
The Bluffton Senior Center, 132 N. Main St., is having a half-price plant sale, now until the end of October.
"All plants are half off the marked price. It is a great time to get a nice house plant to clean the air in your house this winter," said Tonya Meyer of the Center.
On The first and third Thursdays of the month, the Senior Center is open until 7 p.m. because of community meals.
It was not uncommon for communities to have their own bands in the early 1900s. Such is the case for Bluffton. Will Triplett took this photo of the "Bluffton Merchants Band" around 1900.
The Pirate Cross Country team travelled Saturday to Fostoria: their 4th meet in 10 days. Though some had tired legs, the Bluffton athletes continued to turn up the heat.
The Fostoria course is known best for its hill, known to many as "the wall." A deceivingly flat start to the race takes runners around baseball diamonds and classic Ohio cornfields.
David Yoder is the September Bluffton High School student of themonth. The senior is the son of Mark and Julie Yoder, 8180 Rockport Road, Bluffton.
He carries a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of several school organizations. These include marching band, concert band, jazz band, pep band, concert choir, show choir, men's chorus, drama club, math club, chess club, Spanish club, SADD, National Honor Society, renaissance committee and the student senate.
