April 2025

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

Is Travis Music hearing things? On a recent Ride to Remember Facebook video, he imagined frogs peeping on a rural road agreed, it’s time to “register, register!” for the July 12 Bluffton Lions pathway fundraiser. 

Music reflects the fun to be had on the 11th annual Ride to Remember, an event for bike riders of all ages and levels. This year the ride offers updated routes with options from 11 to 135 miles. Registration is now open at www.RidetoRemember.net/  Fees increase on July 1.

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From www.AdaIcon.com

For three weeks this April, Ukrainian theater artist Ganna Turlo is sharing her vision, voice and lived experience with Ohio Northern University students as they prepare for the April 26-27 production of the Worldwide Ukrainian Play Readings project.

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An Easter for Kids event--a special one day Easter VBS--will be held at Trinity Lutheran School 105 Allen Street, Jenera, on Saturday, April 26, from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

The program is open to children age 3 years-5th grade.  It features Bible-based activity stations where kids hear about Jesus' resurrection, praise Him in song, make crafts, play games and enjoy snacks. 

At approximately 12:10 p.m., an Easter Egg hunt will be held outdoors on the school grounds for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary age children through 8th grade.

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Bluffton University will host a choral concert “Five Centuries of Anabaptist Singing- a Musical Odyssey,” directed by Camille Lively, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27, in Yoder Recital Hall. 

This event is part of Anabaptism at 500, a series commemorating the beginning of the Anabaptist faith denomination. A full list of Anabaptism at 500 events can be found at www.bluffton.edu/anabaptism500 All Anabaptism at 500 events are free and open to public. These events made possible with the generous support of Lowell and Marty Hostetler.

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The Bluffton Ohio Historical Society is organizing a landscaping work night on April 26 to prepare the Bluffton Sportsmen's club house (LE&W Depot) for the May 4 Trout Derby.

Volunteers will work together from 6:00-8:00 p.m. All are invited to bring gardening tools and help with flower bed cleanup and other seasonal chores.

The clubhouse is now managed by the Bluffton Ohio Historical Society. For more information, visit BlufftonForever.com.

 

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The Bluffton Public Library will host the following events and activities during the week of April 21-26. For further details and dates, visit www.blufftonpubliclibrary.org/library-events.

Monday, April 21

"Mystery Monday" Sherlock Holmes (R) - 1 to 4 p.m.

Hummin’ & Strummin’ Song Circle - 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 22

Open Chess - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 23

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Provided by Rhodes State College

The 2025 Rhodes State College Outstanding Alumni Award recipient is Marc Augsburger, a 1988 graduate of the former Lima Technical College, now Rhodes State College, with a degree in Nursing. Marc has dedicated over 36 years to advancing rural healthcare. Marc furthered his education with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Wright State University in 2002, an MBA with a Healthcare emphasis from Baker College of Graduate Studies in 2006, a Customer Experience Post Graduate Certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2021, and most recently, a Rural Hospital CEO Certification from the National Rural Hospital Association in 2024.

Born and raised in Bluffton, Ohio, Marc began his healthcare journey immediately after high school as a clinical nurse, gaining experience in cardiac stepdown units, special care units, emergency departments, and as a helicopter flight nurse for eight years.

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PHOTOS from Bluffton Pirates Facebook; click gallery to view at your own pace

By Cort Reynolds

OTTAWA – The talented Bluffton High School girls track and field team won the tough nine-team Ottawa-Glandorf Gold meet on April 17.

The Pirate girls scored 127 points to edge second place host Ottawa-Glandorf (119) by eight points. Otsego finished third with 96 points.

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ABOVE) Tom Mayer, Nicole Möst, Michael Hutecker, Annett Heslep, Brian Schroeder, Alexandra König, Florian Kastenmeier, Klaus Czeranna and Friederike Nusko met in Mindelheim's town hall for a first exchange of ideas. Christian Heimpel is missing from the picture.

By Marcus Barnstorf with Paula Pyzik Scott

Mindelheim, Germany is the district seat of the Lower Allgaeu–a mountainous region in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is twinned with six European municipalities and is looking to develop the first intercontinental twinning relationship with the Village of Bluffton, Oho

The chairman of the support group, Florian Kastenmeier, contacted the Village in 2024. Grob-Werke, which is headquartered in Mindelheim, has operated a branch in Bluffton since 1983 and is the largest employer in the Village.

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

The Bluffton Sportsmen’s Club will host its 81st annual Trout Derby on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at Buckeye Lake. Should a club member catch trout No.1 between 2:00-4:30 p.m. on Derby Day, they will receive half of the day’s jackpot plus $1,000. 

In total there will be over $4,000 in cash and prizes on tagged trout in the quarry. In 2024, the jackpot was $2,250 and half went to Cory Glick.

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