Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Abbot Labs Breaks Ground on New Facility in Tipp City, Ohio

Smiles and warm handshakes greeted representatives from Abbot Labs , Governor Kasich, and U.S. Representative and House Speaker John Boehner Monday morning for the ground-breaking ceremony for the new $270 million Abbot Labs production facility here in Tipp City.  The only clouds on the horizon were literal ones, as winds and rain lashed the huge tent erected over the location for the ceremonial ground-breaking.  I was there and covered the story—to read the rest, see the full article on page 1.

Downtown “Decorator” Strikes

Lots of folks woke up on Saturday morning to find an unwelcome sight—someone with way too much time on their hands had gone around Friday night and “decorated” various walls and buildings with their handiwork.  In one case, a van owner awoke to find his vehicle had been sprayed with the words “Free Candy” on the side.  Police are looking into the situation, and hopefully they catch the person responsible.  I’ve got a suggestion—“Zeek” needs to get a job.  I’m up late every night working, and I just don’t have the energy to run out and spray paint people’s businesses and homes.  I’m too tired.

Community Wide Garage Sale

It’s time to clear out those garages and start putting price stickers on all of your random pieces of furniture and knick knacks: Tipp-Monroe Community Services will be holding its Annual Community Wide Garage Sale on Saturday May 5, 2012 from 9am to 4pm.  Registrations to participate in this event will be taken at 3 E. Main Street, Tipp City.  Remember, if you want to be included in the printed location guide, your garage sale must register by April 27th, 5pm.  The cost to be listed is $5.00, which helps offset the cost of holding the event.  Location guides and maps will be available one week before the sale starting May 2nd.  For more information or to register, please contact TMCS at 667-8631.

Ham-It-Up Productions Presents “The Glass Slipper”

Harriet Bergman and Ham-It-Up Productions are putting together a presentation of “The Glass Slipper,” a twisted take on the Cinderella fairy tale.  Rehearsals are in progress on Monday nights from 6 to 7:30pm through April 30.  The show opens on May 4 with performances being held on May 4 & 5 at 7:00pm and on May 6th at 2:00pm.  For more information, check out their website at www.hamitup.org.

Native Plants Class at the Library

The Tipp City Public Library will be presenting a class on “Growing Native Plants in Your Garden” on Saturday, April 28 at noon.  Hosted by Ron Corbett, the owner of Native Ohio Plants in Tipp City, Ohio, the class will explain how you can grow native plants in your own yard.

Ron’s passion is finding native plants (trees, shrubs and wildflowers) and propagating them to maintain a diverse natural habitat for native wildlife and replace non-native invasive species. The program will be held in the John K. Senseman Meeting Room. No registration is necessary.

Downton Abby

I know this has nothing to do with Tipp City, but if you’ve tried to call the house at night lately and we don’t pick up, it’s because we’ve become completely obsessed with “Downton Abby,” a stunningly-well-produced show on PBS.  Brought across the pond from the BBC, this glittering portrait of life on an English estate follows the lives of the Crawley family and the extensive staff that keeps the huge estate running.  Similar to “Upstairs/Downstairs,” the lives of the embattled family and mostly-loyal staff at “Downton” are intricately intertwined, leading to drama, happiness and heartache.  As a writer, I can appreciate the effort it takes to maintain upwards of fifteen separate plotlines, all weaving together.

We watched the first season on Netflix Instant, and liked it so much I was dispatched to the store to find Season Two.  I was not to return until I found it.  Thankfully, the Target in Huber Heights carried both seasons-the third season is being filmed now and will be broadcast in England first this year before making it to our shores either late this year or early next year.  Unless someone is interested in flying to England and taping it for their favorite columnist!

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Tipp Monroe Community Services is a non-profit organization providing recreational, educational and cultural programs at reasonable prices for all ages.  Instructors are needed to teach new classes and programs.  If you have a special skill or hobby that you are willing to share, TMCS needs you.  We are specifically looking for teachers in the following areas: couples dancing for adults, exercise, nutrition, interior decorating, issues concerning senior citizens, creative writing and social networking.  These are our ideas, what are yours?

A Holiday Tradition in Tipp City

Start the Holidays on a good note!  Come hear the Tipp City Community Band on Friday, December 2 at 7:30 pm in the fellowship hall of Zion Lutheran Church at 14 W. Walnut in Tipp City.  Listen to holiday favorites, along with new renditions.  Requests are taken and a sing-a long makes” the evening “bright”.  Homemade cookies will be served by the Women of Faith.  The concert is free and is a great activity for all ages.

Upcoming Holiday Bus Trip

Enjoy trains, dinner and lights!  Hear Christmas carols and take a journey to the North Pole at EnterTRAINment Junction.  Visit Bern’s Nursery for coffee and a free poinsettia then have dinner at the Barn & Bunk market.  Lastly, enter through ChristmasTree lane into a sparkling fantasyland in this drive through holiday light display in Middletown, OH.  All you have to do is get on the bus on Tuesday, December 6.  Price per person $60.  Trip is through Buckeye Charter and is sponsored by Tipp Monroe Community Services.

Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village

TMCS is one of several locations where you can pick-up 2011 Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village home tour tickets. The holiday tour of historical homes in downtown Tipp City is on Saturday, December 3rd from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.  The tickets are $12 in advance, $20 on the day of the event.  Stop in during business hours to get your tickets until December 2nd.

For more information on TMCS events, activities and classes, call 667-8631 or go to www.tmcomservices.org.

TIPP CITY, Ohio – Tickets are on sale now for the 2011 Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village home tour. This event originally began in 1980 and has become a beloved holiday tradition anticipated each year by many. This year’s festivities take place on Saturday, December 3rd from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will surely delight attendees.

There are 8 holiday homes featured on the tour this year located on Dow Street between Second Street and Fifth Street. Each home has been uniquely accented by a professional Designer. “We wanted to add some new pizzazz to this great holiday tradition,” said Heather Bailey, chairperson for the tour. “The professional Designers have each been paired with a homeowner and it will be fun to see how they take the tabletops ‘over the top.’”  The theme “Over the Top Tabletops” was a fun concept that the committee hopes will offer visitors to the homes some new inspiration for their own holiday tables.

For additional information about the event and to purchase your ticket online, visit www.downtowntippcity.org. Advanced ticket price is just $12 each or $20 the day of the tour.

Advance tickets can also be purchased from the following Tipp City locations starting on November 1st:
Broadway Hair (120 West Broadway)
Coldwater Café (19 East Main)
Clark’s Pharmacy (500 West Main)
Harrison’s Restaurant (106 East Main)
Tipp City Eye Center (115 S Tippecanoe Dr # A)
Tipp Monroe Community Services (3 EastMain)

Proceeds from this year’s event will support three valuable community projects – the Tipp City Area Arts Council, Mobile Meals and Heritage Ohio Education. Monies from this year’s tour will help these organizations fund projects and continue to provide services to the MiamiValley.

Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village is sponsored by Evans Title, Monroe Federal, Prime Lending and RE/MAX Professionals.

Tipp Monroe Community Services provides a variety of programs and services to the community all summer long.

Disney Camp was a great experience for 26 kids as they escaped into the fun and fantasy of Castle Roundhouse.  Pictured is Matt Owen, President of the Tipp City Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Downtown Tipp City Partnership.  Mr. Owen was kind enough to give of his time to read to the Disney enthusiasts.  The children said “ Mr. Owen is funny!”

Have you signed up for Race Around Tipp?

Teams of 4 people (family or friends) will race around Monroe and Bethel Townships performing tasks, such as roadblocks, detours, fast forward and u-turns.  Sound familiar?  Sign up today for a chance to win prizes, have lots of fun and support a worthwhile program. All proceeds will go toward the “Lunch on Us” Program. The Race will be on Sunday, August 14 from 2-6 pm.  Limited to 15 teams so register early.   Dinner will be included but we can’t tell you where – that is your last clue!

For more information on this event or other programs offered by TMCS, call 937-667-8631 or go to www.tmcomservices.org.

OSU Salute Day Trip, Thursday, April 7

ACT Test Preparation Class, April 4-7
TMCS will have its next ACT Test Preparation class April 4-7. Emphasis is placed on timing, test makeup, creative guessing and frequent errors. The class is taught by Dr. Gene Wade.

Turbo Kick Class, March 26 for 10 weeks
Turbo Kick is a fat blasting, ab-defining cardio workout. It is a mix of kickboxing and simple dance moves set to heart pounding music. A free demonstration will be held on Saturday, March 19 at 8:30 am at the Tipp Monroe Community Services building at 3 E. Main St. Come by and try out the class. This ten week spring special will begin on March 26. You will be bathing suit ready by June. The class is taught by Lydia Rowe, certified Turbo Kick instructor.

For more information on this trip and other activities or classes at Tipp Monroe Community Services, please call 667-8631 or go to www.tmcomservices.org.

Be sure to “Like” TMCS on Facebook!

Games and practices will be on Sundays starting April 3 through May 15. Registration includes an NFL jersey, flag belt and flags. Additional information and registration forms can be found online at http://www.tmcomservices.org/programs/youth-rec-flag-football.html or picked up at the TMCS office during office hours. (Please use registration forms specifically for Flag Football).

The registration deadline is March 11, 2011.

There will be no co-ed teams and all games will have certified referees. Volunteer coaches are always needed.

For more information on this event or other activities and classes at Tipp Monroe Community Services call 937-667-8631 or go to www.tmcomservices.org.

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in Tipp City, Ohio, by Greg Enslen

Weekend Recap

It was a busy weekend for Tipp City organizations. I didn’t make it to all of the events, but here’s what I heard!

• Downtown Tipp City Partnership Appreciation Dinner. This annual DTCP dinner, held Thursday night at Harrison’s, was a blast—I got to sit at a table full of crazy folks, including Reed Spencer, Kathy Taylor, Katie Sonnanstine, Cara and Korey King, Carla Unguent, and my lovely wife, Samantha.  There was a cash bar, the food was great, and, before the meal, they put out some great hors d’oeuvres—meatballs, veggies, and shrimp paired with wickedly spicy cocktail sauce. I think Sam’s eyes popped out of her head a little when she took her first bite.

Terri Bessler, who runs the Midwest Memories antique mall, was honored with the 2010 William Henry Harrison Volunteer of the Year award for her unflagging support of our downtown, including organizing the annual Antiques and Artisans Fair and spearheading several promotional activities in the downtown.  I think Terri’s done a great job with Midwest Memories since she bought the business from previous owner Ruth Safreed—I love the new windows signage! I can’t imagine the downtown without Terri and all of her amazing contributions.

Sue Rambeau was inducted as DTCP president, speaking eloquently about how she and her husband decided to move to Tipp some 15 years ago, and outgoing president Logan Rogers told us about how a “sophisticated” friend of his from Cleveland was wowed by how nice our downtown looks in comparison to many of the small towns around Cleveland. The new board was sworn in, new officers and committee chairs were announced, and there was a special shout-out to Harrison’s for making such a big investment in Tipp and creating a location that’s become one of the centers of our community.  For details on the DTCP, call them at 937-667-0883 or visitwww.downtowntippcity.org.

• “Dancing with the Arts” First Annual Art Gala. The Tipp City Area Arts Council held its first big event of the year Saturday night, when 120 patrons of the arts filled the Crystal Room at Club 55 in Troy to dance to the big band stylings of the Tom Daugherty Orchestra.  The Arts Council took the opportunity to honor their founder and inspiration, Ellen Cotterman, who passed away late last year, and also honored their 2010 President, Molly Spencer.  A silent auction was also held, raising over $2,100 to benefit the arts in Tipp City.

Youth Basketball and Football

Basketball season is in full swing, and it’s fun to see Anna and Xander out on the court again. This year, Anna is playing Upward at the Methodist Church (it’s extremely convenient for us), and Xander is playing in the Tipp City Recreation League, sponsored by Community Services. Xander scored one basket in his first game, and Anna scored two. It’s particularly gratifying this year to see Anna transition from just standing around the court staring into space—which she did last season—to being engaged and able to follow the game.  What a difference a year makes when they’re at this age.  She dribbles like a champ! Now if I can just get her to go after more of those rebounds!

Xander has also asked to sign up for Flag Football, which starts in April and will be played down at Kyle Park. This is another league sponsored by Community Services, and this is the first year that they’re rolling it out, for kids in grades 3 through 8. Registration is $35 for Tipp residents and $37 for non-residents, and includes an NFL jersey, a flag belt, and flags. I’m glad that Xander is interested in this, as he’s seemed to be intimidated by the idea of football in the past. Hopefully this will be a low-key, fun way to get him started.

Tipp vs. Tippecanoe Redux

When my wife and I were at the Partnership dinner on Thursday, Mose Wampler commented on the whole “Tipp City versus Tippecanoe” debate. He noted that “there’s all kinds of Tippecanoes around the country … but there’s only one Tipp City.” When I got home, I searched for Tippecanoe on Google Maps and could only find two: Tippecanoe City, in northern Indiana, west of Fort Wayne, and Tippecanoe County, in western Ohio, south of Akron. Does anybody know where any other ones are?  Personally, I like the idea of changing the name of this town to Tippecanoe or Tippecanoe City, which could be a nice compromise for folks that really like the word “City” in the name.

Snow Furies
We may have had a couple delays and school closings recently, but it’s nothing compared to what our old hometown, Washington DC, got hit with last week. Apparently they registered 8 to 10 inches of snow on Wednesday, hitting just in time for the afternoon commute, which is notoriously ugly, even on the best days. A friend of Sam’s had a 5-hour commute home; another was in the car for 9 hours. One of her friends wound up with her entire extended family camping out in her small, 2-bedroom condo because everyone else’s power was out Wednesday night and Thursday. Apparently, Wednesday’s commute was made worse by a tree going down across both lanes of Route 50, a major route in and out of DC. I can’t image the impact that that had on a city already facing a massive snowfall.

A colleague of Sam’s who works for a government contractor commented that Wednesday night’s situation didn’t bode well for how the local law enforcement and street crews would react if DC ever faced an actual disaster—manmade or otherwise—and an evacuation was required. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen anytime soon—or better yet, ever.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and use the “Contact Me” page to let me know what you’re thinking.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Utilizing Buckeye Charters Deluxe Motor Coach accommodations, the first trip will be on January 27 to the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort.  You can experience Vegas Style gaming in this fun filled day.  We drive, you play!  There are over 1,400 of the newest and hottest slots and over 40 of your favorite table games.  You will receive a $5 cash coupon, $10 slot play card and complimentary membership to the Players Advantage Club. For more information call TMCS at 937/667-8631. We are ready to take your reservation and space is limited.

Tipp Monroe Community Services also announces their holiday hours.

Open – December 20 – 22, 8 am – 12 noon, 1 pm – 5 pm
Closed – December 23 and 24
Open – December 27 – 30, 8 am – 11 am
Closed – December 31

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

A continuing goal of the TMCS Board, Advisory Members and staff is to meet the needs of the community in recreation, community education, cultural  and social services.

Input from the community assists Community Services in achieving this goal. By sitting on the TMCS Board of Trustees, residents can take part in fulfilling immediate needs, while planning the future of Tipp Monroe Community Services.

WE CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT!

Tipp Monroe Community Services (TMCS) is a local nonprofit organization responsible for identifying and filling the needs of Tipp City and Monroe Township residents. We provide recreational, educational, and cultural programs at reasonable prices for all ages. Tipp Monroe Community Services works to improve the standard of living in our community and enjoys broad support from local residents, businesses, city and township government and the Board of Education.  For more information, please call 937.667.8631 or visit our website at www.tmcomservices.org.

Tipp Monroe Community Services invites you to get in the mood for the holidays with some of these upcoming classes and events.

Basket Raffle

Don’t forget to stop by Tipp Monroe Community Services at 3 E. Main Street during business hours to enter the basket raffle.  Winners will be drawn on December 4 during the Home Tour.  Tickets are just $5 for 6 and all proceeds to benefit the Summer Lunch on Us Program.

Christmas Cookie Swap and Brunch

Bring 10 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies and swap with others.  Enjoy a light brunch and of course a taste test. Saturday, December 11, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village – December 4, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Nine unique homes will be on the tour decorated to reflect family tradition and holiday style. Enjoy music and entertainment while strolling through historic downtown Tipp City. Save time by buying your tickets online at www.tmcomservices.org or come by the TMCS office during office hours.

Tipp Monroe Community Services (TMCS) is a local nonprofit organization responsible for identifying and filling the needs of Tipp City and Monroe Township residents.  For more information, contact TMCS at 937.667.8631 or visit their website at www.tmcomservices.org.