AUG 25 MEDIA RELEASE__Join The Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District for its 19th annual Walking Thru Autumn Series. Included in the series is Bluffton's Motter Metro Park, located at 10740 Columbus Grove-Bluffton Rd. The park provides 1.5 miles of trail to observe wildlife and see how the landscape shifts with the seasons.
Each week participants will gather for a guided hike, to take in the beauty of fall and explore some of the 30+ miles of Park District trails. Upon completing 6 of the 8 hikes, participants will receive a 2025 Metro Parks hiking stick medallion.
AUG 22 MEDIA RELEAE__Dr. Martina Cucchiara, professor of history at Bluffton University, will present the Colloquium, "Faith and Feelings: The Emotional Education of Maidservants in 18th Century Germany," at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, in Centennial Hall's Stutzman Lecture Hall.
During her Colloquium presentation, Cucchiara will explore how religious and societal institutions in 18th-century Germany sought to shape the emotional lives of young women working as maidservants.
AUGUST 25 MEDIA RELEASE__Coen North '26, a Spanish and communication and media double major at Bluffton University, will present "The Power of a Positive Environment: My Study Abroad Experience in Mexico" at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2, in Musselman Library's Reading Room.
During the First Tuesday in the Library Forum, North will reflect on how a period of isolation while studying abroad ultimately deepened his appreciation for community. He will share insights into personal growth, cultural understanding and the value of positive social environments.
Editor's note: On a Monday morning my to-do list is pretty long. It's also nice to take a look at the Icon's "done" list, the week that was, Monday-Sunday.
In football the punter often doesn't get much credit. A good punter is important because he gives his team excellent field position. One of Bluffton High School's finest punters was Don Burkholder. He played in the late ‘40s, and was two years behind my brother who graduated in 1948. So I got to see Don in action. Although I was young, I remember his booming, rainbow punts that had great distance. Many years later I got to know him well when he was a resident at Willow Ridge. I would always tell him he was the greatest punter I ever saw. He told me that the Pirates were backed up inside the ten-yard line one game and he had to punt from the end zone.
BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School football team shrugged off a slow start to defeat visiting Ben Logan 33-30 in a seesaw 2025 season kickoff thriller on Friday, August 22 at Harmon Field.
The Pirates improved to 1-0 with the non-league victory, while BL starts 0-1 with the defeat.
Bluffton junior quarterback Tayte Giesige passed for four touchdowns and ran for another to pace the victorious offense. In all, he accounted for 327 yards in offense and five TDs.
ELIDA__The visiting Bluffton High School boys soccer team tied Elida 1-1 on Saturday night, August 23.
The Pirate record moved to 0-2-1 with the tie. Elida is 0-0-2 following the knot.
Neither team scored in the first half. But early in the second stanza, the Bulldogs untied the match. Elida’s Seth Warner broke the ice in the 41st minute, scoring the game’s first goal.
Twenty-four minutes later, Bluffton’s Brahlen August equalized the score 1-1 by netting the lone Pirate goal.
AUG 22 MEDIA RELEASE__A panel of Bluffton University faculty, staff, alumni and current students will present “Who is My Neighbor? Knowing, Loving, and Serving Our Neighbors” during Bluffton’s Civic Engagement Theme Introduction Forum at 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 2 in Yoder Recital Hall.
