Pickerington Aug/Sept 2012

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News and Information from the City of Pickerington

News and Information from Violet Township

faces A Light in the Darkness Tragic death spurs action to prevent and overcome drug problems

Shutterbugs in focus Youth Gone Wild

Pickerington middle-schoolers’ murals adorn nature preserve

on the table Family PiesThin crust and deep family roots are key ingredients at Pickerington pizzeria

inside August/September 2012

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Read more online at www.pickeringtonmagazine.com!

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p.18On the Cover:Shutterbugs submission by Sara Binkley

GREAT.BE A PART OF SOMETHING

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The Publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or email [email protected]. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage.

The appearance of advertising in Pickerington Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or service by the City of Pickerington.

Pickerington Magazine is published in June, August, October, December, February and April. Subscriptions are free for households within the city limits of Pickerington, Ohio. For advertising information or bulk purchases, email Molly Pensyl at [email protected].

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Pickerington Magazine is a registered trademark of The Publishing Group Ltd. Printed in the U.S.A.

The Publishing Group Ltd. also publishes:

CityScene Magazinewww.CitySceneColumbus.com

Dublin Life Magazinewww.DublinLifeMagazine.com

Westerville Magazinewww.WestervilleMagazine.com

Tri-Village Magazinewww.TriVillageMagazine.com

Healthy New Albany Magazinewww.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com

pickeringtonMagazine

781 Northwest Blvd., Suite 202Columbus, Ohio 43212

614-572-1240 • Fax 614-572-1241www.cityscenecolumbus.com

Chief Executive Officer

President/Publisher

Chief Creative Officer

Creative DirectorEditor

Contributing Editors

Contributing Writers

Editorial Assistant Advertising Director

Advertising Sales

Marketing/Promotions Manager

Controller

614-572-1240

Charles L. Stein

Kathleen K. Gill

Dave Prosser

Christa Smothers

Garth Bishop

Lisa Aurand Duane St. Clair

Hillary Doyle Stephan Reed

Amanda Ross

Molly Pensyl

Gianna Barrett Julie Camp

Pam HenricksNatalie Kish

Sadie Bauer

Lynn Leitch

Circulation:

www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Courtney Young, MDFamily Practice

Tarun Mehra, MDInternal Medicine

Welcoming New Patients

Diley Ridge Medical Office Building7901 Diley Road, Suite 120Canal Winchester, Ohio 43110

Call (614) 829-6138 to schedule an appointment.


community calendar Mark your calendar for these community events

AUGUST 2012Aug. 3Friday Night Flicks: Cars 2Dusk, Sycamore Park Amphitheater, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.netBring a lawn chair or blanket and watch the sequel to Disney-Pixar’s smash hit Cars.

Aug. 3-5Fairfield County Hot Air Balloon Festival6:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fairfield County Airport, 3430 Old Columbus Rd., Carroll, www.fairfieldcountyhotairballoonfestival.comThis annual event features tethered balloon rides, festival events and a balloon glow. A Sunday morning flight has been added and the number of balloons is being doubled to 20.

Aug. 4Olde Village Market Day9 a.m.-2 p.m., along West Columbus Street, www.pickerington.netShop for fresh produce, baked goods, antiques,

collectibles, sidewalk sales and yard sale trea-sures, all while enjoying live music and food.

Aug. 5Giant Eagle Summer Concert Series: Woody Pines7-8:30 p.m., Sycamore Park Amphitheater, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.netWoody Pines performs in one of central Ohio’s premiere music in the park programs.

Aug. 10Friday Night Flicks: Dolphin TaleDusk, Sycamore Park Amphitheater, 500 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.netEnjoy the family-friendly movie Dolphin Tale.

Aug. 12Giant Eagle Summer Concert Series: Paradise Island7-8:30 p.m., Sycamore Park Amphitheater, 500 Hereford Dr.,

www.pickerington.netBring a blanket or lawn chair and listen to a performance by dance outfit Paradise Island.

Aug. 14 & 17Movies @ Midday12:30-3 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.orgCome in out of the midday and watch Labyrinth Aug. 14 and Ramona and Beezus Aug. 17. Patrons are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks.

Aug. 21CityScene Movie Night5:30 p.m., Arena Grand Movie Theatre, 75 W. Nationwide Blvd., www.arenagrand.comJoin CityScene Magazine for a night at the movies. Enjoy happy hour specials from 5:30-7 p.m., then see The Bourne Legacy on the big screen for just $7 at 7 p.m.

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SEPTEMBER 2012Sept. 3Labor Day Parade & Fish Fry10 a.m., Victory Park, 100 Lockville Rd., www.pickerington.netThe Pickerington Lions Club presents its annual Labor Day Parade and Fish Fry. Parade festivities begin at 10 a.m. and the fish fry begins around 11 a.m. Entertainment will include local DJ Chuck Steel and the North and Central High School marching bands.

Sept. 3Pickerington Community Pool Last DayNoon-8 p.m., 11330 Stonecreek Dr. S.,

www.pickerington.netEnjoy the last day of the season before the pool closes until next summer.

Sept. 7Olde Village Petfest6-8:30 p.m., Olde Pickerington Village, www.pickeringtonvillage.comBring your pets out to a day of fun. There will be vendors, local animal care booths and much more. Pet Parade begins at 7 p.m.

Sept. 13Founders’ Day Banquet6:30 p.m., Pickerington Senior Center,

150 Hereford Dr., www.pickeringtonhistoricalsociety.comReservations are required for this 26th annual event.

Sept. 14-16Harmony Harvest Dulcimer FestivalFairfield County Fairgrounds, 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, www.harmonyharvest.orgStanding Stone Strings and Things presents a celebration of dulcimer music, featuring work-shops, jam sessions and food.

community calendarAUGUST CONTINUED

Aug. 25C.E. Hilbert1-5 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.orgLocal author C.E. Hilbert will discuss her book, The Wooing of Jane Grey.

Aug.27First Day of School (Grades 1-12)www.pickerington.k12.oh.us

Aug. 27-30Restaurant WeekThroughout Pickerington, www.pickeringtonchamber.comFor the first time, the Pickerington Area Cham-ber of Commerce presents four days of special food offerings and deals at local restaurants.

Aug. 28Not Your Mother’s Library Book Club7-8 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.orgThis special book club, open to teens and adults who love to read, will discuss How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue.

Aug.30First Day of School (Kindergarten)www.pickerington.k12.oh.us

Limited time offer available to new residential customers in serviceable areas and current customers adding a product line. Bundle prices guaranteed until January 1, 2014. Phone service (including access to 911) is not available if you lose your broadband connection and, in the event of a power outage, is available only for the duration of backup power sources. Internet speeds not guaranteed. Actual Internet speeds may vary. HDTV and HD equipment required to receive HD programming. For eligibility and terms of Money Back Guarantee visit wowway.com/terms-and-conditions. Offers not valid with any other discount. Offers and services subject to change without notice. Please see WOW!’s complete terms and conditions or call WOW! for further information regarding services and offers. © 2012 WideOpenWest Finance, LLC.

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PICKERINGTON NEWS & INFORMAT ION FROM THE C ITY OF P ICKER INGTON

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I N S I D E

When the Pickerington Police Department is driv-ing around neighborhoods this summer on regular patrols, officers will also be keeping a watchful eye out for pre-teens and teens home alone and encour-aging residents to report suspicious activity.

The police department has launched the new Children Home Alone Program (CHAP) in an effort to keep kids safe and prevent them from getting into trouble while their parents are at work.

To be a part of this unique summer program, parents should call the police department at 614-575-6911 and place their home on a watch list. The police department will do random checks of the homes on the list, but will not be doing daily checks.

The patrols will report to the parents if they see strange vehicles in the driveway and a large group of children gathering at the home, says Police Cmdr. Matt Delp.

“We’re not going to take action, but we’re going to call the parent to make them aware of the activity,” Delp said.

The program is designed to give par-ents peace of mind while they are working and encourage children to stay out of trouble. “What we’re trying to avoid is the house that has a large number of children who are doing illegal things because that often leads to experimenta-tion, drug use and possibly even death,” Delp said.

The police department is also encouraging any-one who witnesses criminal or suspicious activity to report it to the police department by phone, in person or by using the contact link on the police website, www.pickerington.net.

“We have an amazing line for tips on the website, and you don’t have to give your name if you’re wor-ried about it,” Delp said.

If you want to keep your information confi-dential, the police department recommends that you tell the dispatcher or officer you are speak-ing with that you wish to remain anonymous so your information is not put over the police radio. However, it is helpful for the police to have your

contact information so an officer can seek additional information if needed.

While the police department will immediately check out any reports of suspicious activity, some investigations take months and years to finalize, so residents may not see the results right away.

Still, the police department is encouraging resi-dents to play an active role in policing their neighbor-hoods and reporting any suspicious activity through the Community Observation Program (COP).

Peace of Mind Patrol

While swimsuits are part of their required uniform and sunscreen and sunglasses are considered their protective work gear, the lifeguards at the Pickering-ton Community Pool, who watch the waters each day for potential problems, are not at the pool to work on their tans.

They take their jobs seriously, and these expert swimmers have been trained to act immediately if they sense someone is in trouble.

“A lot of people probably see us as the fun police,” said Charlie Combs, a student at The Ohio State Uni-versity and eight-year employee of the pool. “I don’t enjoy whistling at people and telling them they can’t

do something. I’m not trying to ruin their day; I’m just trying to enforce the rules and keep people safe.”

Lifeguards – many of whom have been competi-tive high school swimmers – must complete rigorous tests before even qualifying to take the American Red Cross lifeguarding course.

Prospective lifeguards must be able to swim 300 yards without stopping using the front crawl and breaststroke in a prescribed order, said pool manager Katie Chontos, an OSU graduate student and veteran of 10 summers at the pool.

The American Red Cross specifies that each life-guard must be at least 15 years of age and able to swim 20 yards using the front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with their face above the water within one minute, according to its website, www.redcross.org.

If the candidate is able to complete those feats, he or she is eligible to take the lifeguarding course, which requires 24-29 hours of classroom and pool time learning techniques to rescue people with vari-ous injuries.

Lifeguards, who must pay about $200 for their own training, must also be certified in CPR/AED and First Aid.

“The deep water backboard was probably the hardest part of the training because you aren’t used to using a backboard in the water and treading water while trying to place someone on it,” said Hannah Dittoe, a 2012 graduate of Pickerington High School Central.

Even after the lifeguards are certified by the Red Cross, they must renew their lifeguard certification every two years and their CPR/AED and First Aid ev-ery two years as well.

The Pickerington Community Pool also requires lifeguards to participate in routine staff training and drills to keep their skills sharp for any emergency.

Despite all the work and training, the Pickerington Community Pool lifeguards agree they have the best job under the sun and encourage other students to get into the swim.

“I’d say look into it because it’s a great summer job and you make a lot of good friends,” Chontos said.

Rules of the Pool


News and information from the City of Pickerington citydirectoryPickerington City Hall, 100 Lockville Rd.(All numbers prefixed with the 614 area code)

Building Regulations Department ..........................833-2221

City Council ............................837-3974

City Manager ..........................837-3974

Development Department ........833-2204

Engineering Department .........833-2221

Finance Department ................837-3974

Human Resources ...................837-3974

Income Tax Division .................837-4116

Mayor’s Office (Lee A. Gray) ...........................837-3974

Mayor’s Court .........................837-3974

Parks and Recreation ..............833-2211

Police Department ...................575-6911

Service Department

Streets ...................................833-2292

Utility Billing ............................833-2289

Utility Maintenance ..................833-2292

Water Plant .............................833-2290

Waste Water Plant ...................837-6490

Paving the way for a better Pickerington is a part of the city’s historic plan to fund the resurfacing of city streets.

This year, Pickerington City Council has allocated $550,000 to pave and maintain nearly four miles of the 60 miles of roadway under its jurisdiction.

“The roads are getting to an age that we need to get things done for the city to have quality streets and so that we do not have major problems and expenses later,” said Greg Bachman, city engineer.

Areas slated for the first round of paving include the Stonebridge subdivision, a section of Hill Road, East Street in front of Heritage Elementary School, Wind-miller Drive, a portion of Hill Road South, Hereford Drive and the parking lot at 51 E. Columbus St.

Roads scheduled to be sealed or rejuvenated with pavement in 2012 include Opportunity Way and stretches of the west side of Diley Road and Winderly Lane.

A few alley streets in Olde Pickerington Village that are important for businesses in the area will also receive some touch-up work.

According to the city engineer, each road in the city has been rated using a Pavement Condition Index (PCI).

The PCI provides the city with a scale ranking to de-termine which roads are the worst and which ones are the best.

“It’s nice we are able to put a little more money to-ward the streets here, because there is a great deal of savings in the long run,” Bachman said. “If you spend $1 today, it can cost $5 to $10 if you wait. It’s much like changing the oil in your car. You can save a little bit by not changing your oil, but you can blow your engine later on.”

Over the summer, the city has also been doing a lot of crack sealing so water does not get into cracks in the road during winter and then expand when frozen to create pot holes.

While the city plans to allocate money each year to resurface and maintain its roadways, Pickerington resi-dents will see major renovations done to State Route 256 in 2015 when the Ohio Department of Transpor-tation pays for the majority of the $2 million of pav-ing, roadway, signage and traffic signal improvements designed to provide better and safer access in and out of the Violet City.

Paving Priorities

Webmaster/HR Administrative Assistant Lana Messmore

When Pickerington res-idents log onto the city’s website, information should now be at their fingertips because of Lana Messmore.

The webmaster and ad-ministrative assistant to the director of human resources is dressing up the website and making it more user-friendly and interactive.

“The real benefit of someone like Lana on board, who is willing to dig in, is that if I want something post-ed today, it is on the website today,” said Lynn Miller, director of human resources.

Messmore wants residents to be able to get an-swers to frequently asked questions and obtain the information they want from the website in three clicks or fewer. By fall, residents should also be able to log onto the website through their home computers and cell phones to report potential concerns.

“(Residents) can log on to report problems so they don’t have to call. It’s a priority program that allows them to enter the information and that act will gener-ate a work order,” Messmore said. “When the work is done, it reports back to them.”

When Pickerington resi-dents have questions, they usually call the office of the city manager for answers.

The friendly voice that often greets and guides them in the right direction belongs to the new executive assistant to the city manager, Wilma Ebright.

Fortunately for the callers, Ebright has worked in almost every department over the past year as a temporary employee. In her new role, Ebright will be the right hand for City Manager Bill Vance.

“I love the pace of it. I love the vision (Vance) has for the community,” Ebright said. “He’s very helpful and he wants what is best for the com-munity and I do, too.”

Ebright hopes that she can help Vance reach his goals and provide residents with the type of customer service they deserve.

“When someone calls in, (Vance) is on it,” Ebright said. “He cares about people and I think that is a wonderful asset for someone who is helping to run the city.”

Executive Assistant to City ManagerWilma Ebright

cityprofile:City Planner Clement Chukwu

Clement Chukwu knows what it is like to hold a balance scale in his hands.

For 10 years, the associate planner for the city of Toledo has weighed the development needs and standards of the city and its three major historic districts with the responsibility to maintain the

quality of life for the residents who live there.On June 4, Chukwu, who has a master’s degree

in geographic information systems from Eastern Michigan University, became a part of the city of Pickerington’s planning and zoning team.

His work includes helping businesses understand the city’s building standards and providing com-panies with a checklist to guide them through the application procedures, submission deadlines and requirements, as well as the permit process. He is also helping the city maintain the charm of Olde Pickerington Village and provide residents with the quality of life they expect.

“There are a lot of opportunities in development going on here and I’m looking forward to helping the city plan for the future,” Chukwu said.


News and Information From

I remember being asked that question in kindergarten, and the majority of little girls chose either “nurse” or “teacher” while the little boys chose “policeman” or “fireman.”

Later, during the junior high years, we were taken through vigorous testing to determine which innate talents we held that would best complement our desire to be anything we wanted to be, from an architect or an astronaut to a zookeeper or a zoologist.

In the 1980s, our economy was be-coming more and more service-based. Manufacturing was no longer the pow-erful segment of our economy, and we watched jobs in that sector leave during the following decade. There were many reasons for this, including the percep-

tion of manufacturing as being menial or dirty; the workplace environment driving workers to unionize and demand better wages, benefits and safer work areas; the increase in cost of doing business driving the search for alternatives; inter-national agreements; the list goes on.

Between then and now, we have seen an increase in foreign direct investment in the United States, improved work en-vironments, increased wages and ben-efits, innovative concepts to streamline processes, cutting-edge technologies utilized to reduce costs and the like, thus producing a resurgence of a man-ufacturing economy. And this ain’t your grandfather’s manufacturing plant. Manu-facturing today is largely computer-driven, cleaner and much safer than it ever was.

So, what do you want to be when you grow up? The opportunities are bound-less, and you are only limited by your imagination.

Violet Township

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What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

The drug and electronic collection and paper shredding event held April 28 at the Violet Township Service Center net-ted almost 36 pounds of pills, 41 pounds of sharps and 48 pounds of liquids.

Through a sponsorship by Diley Ridge Medical Center, Shred-It was on site to shred 4,200 pounds of paper, saving the equivalent of 21 trees. And 4,418 pounds of computers, monitors, televisions, cell phones, stereo equipment, printers and other miscellaneous electronic equip-

ment was collected at the event.Our community has once again

stepped up and taken a proactive ap-proach toward protecting our environ-ment. The event is important because it provides a way to dispose of materials that would negatively impact the environ-ment if flushed down the toilet or sent to the landfill without first removing certain components.

If you have items you wish to dispose of with no questions asked and missed this event, do not worry. The township and our partners, Fairfield County Soil and Water Conservation and Fairfield County Sheriff Department, are planning another collection event this fall. Please watch the Township pages in Pickerington Maga-zine for notice of the event when the date is finalized.

Thank you again, concerned residents, for making this event a successful one.

Violet Township Says, “Thank You!”Executive Assistant to City Manager

Violet Township Administrative Offices

12970 Rustic Dr.Pickerington, OH 43147

614-575-5556 www.violet.oh.us

Violet Township Fire StationsPhone 614-837-4123Fire Chief: John Eisel

#592: 8700 Refugee Rd.#591: 21 Lockville Rd.

#593: 2365 Taylor Park Dr. (behind hhgregg)

Violet Township Service CenterPhone: 614-382-5979

490 Center St.Pickerington, OH 43147

How to Reach Us

By Joy Davis, CEcD


From the Violet Township Fire Department

Safe Routes to Schools Making a Difference

News and information from Violet Township


Many of us remember a time when walking and bicycling to school was a part of everyday life. Data from the Fed-eral Highway Administration revealed that in 1969, about half of all students walked or bicycled to school.

Today, however, the story is very dif-ferent. Nationally, fewer than 15 percent of all school trips are made by walking or bicycling, one-quarter are made on a school bus and more than half of all children arrive at school in private auto-mobiles.

This decline in walking and bicycling has had an adverse effect on air quality around schools, as well as pedestrian and bicy-cling safety. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gathered evidence that children who lead sedentary lifestyles are at risk for a variety of health problems such as obesity, diabe-tes and cardiovascular disease.

The purpose of the Federal Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Program is to address these issues head on. The SRTS Program empowers communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity once again.

The Pickerington Local Schools SRTS Committee was formed in 2006. It is a grassroots committee comprised of staff from the Pickerington Local School Dis-trict, Violet Township, the City of Picker-ington and residents from our community.

The local program goals are to address parents’ safety concerns, educate chil-dren and the public on walking and bicy-cling safely, partner with law enforcement, and develop plans to create safer streets.

The Pickerington SRTS committee has been instrumental in securing nearly $1.4 million in federal funding since 2008. The table to the right summarizes the funding received.

The grant funding has allowed for the construction of sidewalks within the Sum-merfield subdivision around Fairfield Ele-mentary School and an asphalt walking path at Diley Middle School. Three other projects are in various stages of planning and design. These projects are near Vio-let Elementary School in the Chevington Village subdivision, along Long Road near Pickerington Elementary School and near Harmon Middle School along Harmon Road and within the Woodsfield subdivision.

Also, the local committee has spon-sored several educational and safety events over the last five years, including Walking School Bus demonstrations, Walk to School with Police and Military Personnel Day and Bike to School Day. Additionally, the committee has produced and distributed flyers to students describ-ing the health benefits of walking and bi-cycling to school.

During the 2012-2013 school year, bike helmets will be provided at no cost to all Pickerington Local School District students in grades five and six.

By Greg Butcher, P.E.

Year Grant Funding2008 $292,000

2009 $330,000

2010 $300,0002011 $460,000

The Division of State Fire Marshal has urged parents and guardians to take precautionary measures to avoid unnecessary fire fatalities, par-ticularly related to children ages 5 and under.

Last year in Ohio, 20 of the 26 chil-dren who lost their lives in fires were under the age of 5. In the event of a

fire, children ages 5 and below are almost entirely dependent on outside help in order to survive. Since many fatal fires occur at night while families are asleep, parents and guardians must be prepared by establishing a home fire escape plan and teaching their young ones what to do if a fire should occur.

Fire Safety and Kids

11www.pickeringtonmagazine.com 11www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Among young children, drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related deaths. Hot summer temperatures mean more children are drawn to the cool relief of a pool.

It’s a good time to review some basic pool safety tips provided by the Safe Kids USA organization.

LOCK:•Put up a fence that is at least 4 feet

high and is around all sides of the pool or spa. The fence should have a locking gate that closes and latches by itself.

•Use door, gate and pool alarms.

•Cover and lock pools and spas when you are not using them.

•Remove or lock ladders to above-ground pools and spas.

•Use approved anti-entrapment drain covers and back-up devices.

LOOK:•Always watch children when they are

in or near water.

•When you are watching children, don’t be distracted by phone calls, text messages, reading or talking to others.

•Watch children even if they know how to swim.

•Children who can’t swim well or can’t swim at all should be within your reach and wear life jackets.

•Keep a phone near you – use it only to call for help if there is an emer-gency.

• If a child is missing, check the water first.

LEARN:•Learn how to swim – both children

and adults should know how.

•Learn how to correctly choose and use rescue equipment and U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.

•Learn adult and infant CPR. Contact the Violet Township Fire CPR Coordi-nator to schedule your time!

•Teach children never to swim alone.

•Teach children not to play or swim near pool or spa drains.

MORE WATER SAFETY TIPS:•Never leave children alone when near

or accessible to water, and teach chil-dren to ask permission before going near a body of water.

•Never leave a child’s safety around water in the hands of another child. Water safety requires vigilant adult supervision.

•When in a park or other recreation facility, swim in areas with designated lifeguards on duty.

•Always swim with a buddy.

•Watch for children who have had too much sun or strenuous activity, or who are are too tired, too cold or too far from safety.

Pool Safety

We have to start by reminding every-one that you cannot leave a child in a car unattended, even with the windows down, during summer heat.

This summer’s hot temperatures have already resulted in deaths related to chil-dren being left in cars for a short amount of time. If any child gets locked in a car, call 911 to assist if you are unable to re-move the child immediately from this dan-gerous situation.

Even though children’s bodies gener-ate 25 to 50 percent more heat during exercise, they won’t feel thirsty as quickly as adults. Children also have fewer sweat glands, and those they have are not as well developed, so they don’t sweat to evaporate heat as well as adults.

Staying hydrated is extremely impor-tant for children. Parents should also be familiar with the signs of dehydration in children, including crying with no tears, decreased urine output, lethargy and headache.

•Encourage children to play inside dur-ing the hottest part of the day (1 to 4 p.m.) and to play in shady areas when outdoors.

•Take extra water along to any outdoor activities.

• Interrupt play time periodically for water breaks. If children balk at drinking wa-ter, try fruit juice diluted with water as an alternative.

•Ask camp directors and coaches

about their programs’ guidelines and plans for keeping children safe dur-ing hot weather.

•Make sure buckles are not too hot when settling children into a safety seat or safety belt.

•Keep your car locked even when at home so children do not accidentally get inside while playing.

•Be alert for hot surfaces at playgrounds, which can cause severe burns. Plastic and even metal playground equipment can heat up enough to fry an egg.

•Be aware of artificial turf – if your kids are playing on this type of field, the temperature of the turf can rise to 170 degrees fahrenheit or higher.

Stayin’ Cool


A

faces By Garth Bishop

A child’s death of unnatural causes at a young age is as crippling a blow as any parent might suffer.

But Wayne and Christy Campbell are determined to prevent the tragedy that struck their family from striking others.

Last summer, the Campbells’ son Ty-ler died of a heroin overdose at age 23. In response, they, along with a steadily growing group of community members, formed Tyler’s Light, a nonprofit organi-zation dedicated to raising awareness of and promoting education about drug addiction and prevention.

Rise and FallTyler was forever conscientious of

others’ feelings, Wayne says – gentle, reluctant to exclude anyone, always making sure everyone got home safely.

“He didn’t think anything of showing affection,” Christy says.

He was also a dedicated athlete. Tyler played football all four years at Pickering-ton High School North. After graduation in 2007, he made it his goal to play Divi-sion I college football, and even though he was not able to secure a scholarship right away, he quickly managed to get a spot as a preferred walk-on for the Uni-versity of Akron Zips.

“He said, ‘I’ll prove to them that I’m worth it,’” Christy says.

Though he enjoyed great success on the football field at first, injuries started to

accumulate during his sophomore year. In Jan-uary 2009, he had sur-gery on his shoulder. He was given a prescription for painkillers.

Friends and family members soon began to notice changes in Ty-ler – he never seemed to have any money, he was depressed a lot, his grades suffered and he made poorer decisions on the football field. In November 2009, he failed a drug test, and his family helped place him in a rehabili-tation program over Christmas break to treat his addiction.

But every breakthrough in rehabilita-tion would soon be followed by a re-lapse, and Tyler’s inability to obtain pre-scription drugs led him to an even worse problem: heroin. Heroin, Wayne says, is cheap and easily available, and it’s not unusual for prescription opiate addicts to become heroin addicts.

In his final stint in inpatient treatment at a Cleveland facility, Tyler began making plans for his life – he wanted to go back to school and change his area of study from physical therapy to drug counsel-ing. He also intended to quit playing football, which he knew would lead to

more injuries, and instead focus on playing baseball, as well as assisting his fa-ther, a baseball coach at Westerville Central High School.

Christy brought him back to Colum-bus, and after he got home, he hugged his younger brothers, Alex and Ryan, and headed to his Narcotics Anony-mous meeting. The next morning – July 22, 2011 – Christy found Tyler dead in his room. He had overdosed on heroin.

“He knew the risk, but obviously, (the addiction) was too strong,” Christy says.

Searching for a SolutionTwo weeks after Tyler’s death, a group

of neighborhood friends began meeting to discuss the issues brought up by Ty-ler’s premature death.

Out of those meetings was born Ty-ler’s Light. The name, Wayne says, re-fers to the effect Tyler has had on all who knew him.

Key to the organization’s goals is pre-vention, and it pursues this end in a va-riety of ways. Wayne has spoken to se-niors at both Pickerington high schools, as well as to students at Ridgeview Junior High School and other schools, universities and businesses throughout Ohio.

“Prevention, for us, is educating par-ents and kids,” Wayne says.

Dedicated education efforts are nec-

Tragic death spurs action to prevent and overcome drug problems

A Light in the Darkness

Left: Alex, Ryan, Christy and Wayne Campbell at the Ty-ler’s Light 5K in May. Above: Tyler Campbell, right, with brothers Alex and Ryan.


essary if addiction problems are to be curtailed, says Pickerington City Coun-cilman Jeff Fix, who had known Wayne for years prior to Tyler’s death.

“There’s no one answer that will, all of a sudden, make everyone aware that this is a very frightening thing … that can steal your children from you,” Fix says.

Awareness efforts include a 5K held in May, which is planned to be an annual event; participation in Tour de Cause, a Lancaster-based bike ride through all the covered bridges in Fairfield County that benefits the Recovery Center of Fairfield County; and a scholarship program for graduating Pickerington seniors. The organization also holds a weekly loved ones’ support group meeting at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Amber Park.

The Tyler’s Light website, www.tylers light.com, contains facts and figures, links to and information on local organi-zations that deal with drugs and addic-tion, and a series of videos that highlight the important issues and the mission of Tyler’s Light.

Lessons LearnedIn the lead-up to and wake of Tyler’s

death, the Campbells learned a great deal about opiate addictions and how they have grown in prevalence.

Opiates, the Campbells learned, are unlike any other drug, and are especially dangerous for young people – they can change the body’s physiological needs, making it nearly impossible to quit and establishing triggers that may quickly cause someone who’s gotten sober to relapse. Making things worse, some doctors may overprescribe pain medi-cation, providing more opportunities for addiction to set in and lead to worse things.

“What we think is safe … that’s in our cabinets, that’s where a huge part of the problem lies,” Wayne says.

A Light in the Darkness

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Perhaps more importantly, they learned the importance of recognizing the signs of addiction and speaking up when a problem becomes apparent – a lesson Tyler’s Light is working to impress upon everyone. Once the problem has been verified, the immediate next step is to seek professional, long-term help.

“If your friend has a problem, you don’t want to see them die,” Christy says.

Further tragedies since Tyler’s death have only strengthened the resolve of the Campbells and the organizers be-hind Tyler’s Light. In November, Chris Jacquemain, who had been the Zips’ quarterback for some of the time Tyler

was playing, died of a heroin overdose at age 25. Here in Pickerington, 20-year-old Central graduate Marin Riggs died of a heroin overdose in January.

“A lot of times, you read something like that and say, ‘That’ll never happen to my family,’ but that’s not the case,” says Fix. “The Campbell family and the Riggs family, they’re all of us.”

Looking AheadTyler’s Light has seen tremendous

support from the Pickerington commu-nity, and the city has formed a commu-nity leadership group with Tyler’s Light and a host of other local and statewide

organizations to craft a comprehensive strategic plan to deal with addiction.

It has also seen potential for even greater reach, Wayne says, potentially even serving as a model for local-level drug awareness programs in Ohio.

Losing Tyler, Wayne says, was “in-describable, almost paralyzing.” But he hopes Tyler’s death can still have mean-ing – if it can prevent more deaths from addiction.

Garth Bishop is editor of Pickerington Magazine. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

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Pickerington residents aim their cameras at their hometown

Boss and Diesel by Erin Guidera By Sara Binkley

Plant by Keely Stagg Tim Bits Soccer by Heather Whisman

View more Shutterbugs at www.pickeringtonmagazine.com

Milnor Road Sunrise by Christi O’NeilTrain Trestle by Robyn Skowronski


WPickerington middle-schoolers’ murals adorn nature preserve

While some youths are busy tagging bathroom stalls with meaningless graffiti, the art students at Ridgeview Junior High School were busy making their mark on The Wilds – in a constructive, creative way.

Art teacher Cheryl Knox’s seventh- and eighth-grade art classes worked on two murals during the school year, and both are now on display in the bathhouses at The Wilds, a wildlife preserve owned by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and lo-cated outside of Zanesville. School-aged artists were ideal for the job because they make up a large percentage of the visitors at the preserve’s camps, for whose benefit the bathhouses were built.

“We hoped to spruce up our camp with some color, and since most of our visitors to our camp are youth, we wanted art created by them,” says Mallory Vopal, conservation education specialist at The Wilds. “We love that they incorporated our landscapes and animals into their art, but we let them use

their own creativity when it came to what the subjects of their work would be.”

Besides paying for the paint and giving the students a place to publicly display their art, The Wilds offered Knox’s class a trip to the park free of charge.

“They sponsored a trip for us to visit during Memorial Day weekend and paid for 64 people to come,” Knox says. “All the students were invited and they got to see the site firsthand. Some of these students may have not experienced this otherwise because of tough financial situations.”

The first mural is a depiction of the landscape a visitor would find at the park.

Lily pads, blue skies, flowers and trees make up the piece.

“I went on the trip and it helped me see everything naturally,” says seventh-grad-er Lali Ernst. “The project was fun, but it was difficult getting the specifics down.”

The second mural portrays a cross-section of the earth and the life that lives within. This taught the students more than just artistic values.

“When we did the cross-section view, I taught our students some lessons that they wouldn’t have usually learned in my classroom,” Knox says. “We talked about the dangers and benefits of fracking. I based my lessons around these murals

and tried to incorporate other lessons into it. They learned a little about science, history and social studies throughout the project.”

Knox visualized themes of The Wilds and worked them

Youth Gone Wild

in focus By Stephan Reed

Above and right: The murals now installed in the bathhouses at The Wilds. Left: Eighth-grader Nicole Tantala, left, and seventh-grader Lali Ernst work on one of the murals.


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into her class projects as well.“If the art connects with them, then

they will remember it,” she says. The project took only a few months to

complete, but the offer to do the project stemmed from a conversation Knox had during an unrelated meeting years ago.

“Five or six years back, a friend and I went to an Environmental Protection Agency conference and we ran into someone from The Wilds,” she says. “They offered us the chance to paint buses for them, so we took that on. Dur-ing that time, I brought every student I had to come and work on it.”

Painting the buses in the cold weather – the work took place in November – was a challenge, but a rewarding one.

“We painted a second bus in one day,” Knox says. “We were in a bus ga-rage trying to finish it up, and everything came out great.”

The Wilds staffers were impressed with the work and offered Knox’s class the opportunity to install the two murals.

“Last summer, we saw another repre-sentative from The Wilds who remem-bered our work on the buses,” Knox says. “One thing led to another and they offered to let us mural the bathhouses.”

Knox believes that this project will be beneficial to her students for years to come.

“I like seeing my kids making connec-tions and letting them make a mark on

the world,” she says. “As they grow up, they will make time to do it as adults. You can see the pride in their eyes. This is their work. I’m just the director.”

The murals have benefits for both par-ties, says Vopal.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to reach out and connect to an Ohio school,” she says. “Since this is for our Education Department here, we love to work with area students and to provide a chance for a learning opportunity on their end as well. It’s a win-win situation.”

Striking though they may be, the mu-rals cannot fully express what the stu-dents accomplished throughout their time working on the project, Knox says.

“Pictures can’t tell a whole story,” she says. “These students can use their tal-ents to make a difference. Each student has a gift, and we found a way to get them all involved.”

Eighth-grader Nicole Tantala looks forward to showing off the project she helped create.

“I’m excited to have my family go see it when it’s all done,” she says. “It was so great being able to work in collabora-tion with my classmates. Everyone has played a part.”

Stephan Reed is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

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on the table By Hillary Doyle

Chunky MarinaraFrom Gasperini’s PizzaT

Family Pies Thin crust and deep family roots are key ingredients at Pickerington pizzeria

Thin is in at Gasperini’s Pizza.The pie joint moved into its new home

on Hill Road North, previously occupied by a Massey’s Pizza, in 2011. After the relocation from Gasperini’s former home in Reynoldsburg, owners Larry and Bob-bi Priebe knew some changes were in order.

For starters, the new location has a dining room, a first for Gasperini’s. It also offers more parking than did the old loca-tion, and the menu has undergone some adjustments.

One of the biggest was the addition of a second style of pizza – because, as Larry says, “Columbus is a thin crust town.”

This new Columbus thin style features a thinner crust and smaller pepperoni slices that curl up at the ends. Custom-ers can choose between the Columbus thin and the traditional thick crust style with the 51-mm pepperoni slices.

The Gasperini’s menu isn’t limited to just pizzas. It also offers salads, pastas, stromboli and wings. Larry especially en-joys the wings, which come in spicy or Italian flavors.

The Italian wings – coated with oil, garlic and basil – are “a different kind of wings than you can get at other places,” says Larry. Bobbi prefers the Chicken

Club Salad, which, like all of their salads, comes with a portion of Bambino Bread.

Given central Ohio’s powerful propen-sity for pizza, Gasperini’s faces some se-rious competition no matter its location within the greater metro area. Fortunately, there is usually no shortage of custom-ers.

“People love pizza, no matter the econ-omy,” says Bobbi.

But in a region where pizza is so popular, how do you create a pizza ex-perience that stands out? The solution, Bobbi says, is being a family owned and run operation. Larry, Bobbi and their son Geoff are frequently in the restaurant, and the restaurant is decorated with Bobbi’s paintings.

The Gasperini’s name comes from Bobbi, whose maiden name is Gasper. The family name was shortened from Gasperini to Gasper by one of her great-great-grandfather’s sons. The picture in the restaurant’s logo is Bobbi’s late father, as the restaurant was named in memory of him. The family connection is very im-portant to the Priebes.

Hillary Doyle is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

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