First Presbyterian Church Requests Temporary Use Of Union School Building During Renovation
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Union Elementary School may find a new tenant – at least temporarily.
According to Maumee City Schools superintendent Dr. Greg Smith, Rev. Clint Tolbert, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Maumee, has requested use of the building while the church undergoes a major renovation project.
“The church would be renting space for an office area as well as classroom space on Wednesdays and Sundays,” Smith said.
The Maumee school board will consider the proposal at its Thursday, September 8 meeting.
Details continue to be finalized, Smith said, but it’s likely the church, which is located on East Broadway down the street from Union, would be responsible for utility costs and cleaning.
“It should be good for us and them. Our intent is to be a good neighbor,” he said.
The church renovation project is expected to begin in mid-September and end in June 2012.
The district will continue to work toward securing a permanent tenant, Smith said.
The closure of Union Elementary School was part of a district restructuring plan that took effect for the 2011-12 school year.
Fairfield and Fort Miami now serve as kindergarten through third-grade schools, and Wayne Trail serves as a fourth- and fifth-grade school.
For the facilities and technical service employees, the new configuration of buildings involved moving a multitude of furniture and computer equipment over the summer.
According to Larry Burda, supervisor of facilities and technical services for the school district, the move was scheduled for completion in August but was finished in July.
Professional movers were hired to handle large items and four temporary workers were hired to move smaller items, he said.
In addition, each building engineer worked directly with the teachers, Burda said.
“They would call the teachers when their rooms were ready and some teachers were setting up in July, which was tremendous in helping with the time frame,” he said.
Burda credited the building engineers with facilitating the project.
“They really made it happen. They dealt with all facets of the plan, plus they had to get the building ready for the next year,” he said.
The first- and second-shift maintenance personnel were also assigned to a building to help with the move rather than district projects, he said.
The biggest challenge was the heat, said Burda.
“At one point Union Elementary was 95 degrees inside the building. That was pretty brutal because it was right at the peak of the move,” he said.
Presently all buildings, including Union, are also checked each weekend to ensure they are secure.
Local Church Bells To Toll In Remembrance Of 9/11
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Maumee Mayor Tim Wagener is hopeful that the ringing of church bells will help area residents remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
Wagener requested that all area churches ring their bells one to two minutes beginning at 8:46 a.m. on Sunday, September 11.
“Since 9/11 is on a Sunday this year I think it’s a fitting tribute for all of the churches to do,” he said.
In previous years a ceremony has taken place at the Maumee city administration building.
“I wanted to do this because it won’t disrupt worship services. All I ask is that when citizens of Maumee hear the bells to please pause for a moment to remember those who died as well as their families,” Wagener said.
Wagener requested that the bells ring at the time that the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City.
Subsequently three additional planes, hijacked by terrorists, crashed in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
More than 3,000 people died in what is considered one of the most tragic days in U.S. history.
Bold New Mascot Is Prowling In Newly Painted Panther Den
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
The mascot for Maumee High School has new and improved digs.
The Panther Den, an area at the MHS football stadium that features Panthers spirit wear, has a fresh new look and is stocked with new inventory.
“We have sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats and scarves,” said Regan Cliff, who recently took over sales of the spirit wear.
“We have new logo designs along the side of the sweatshirts that look like Aeropostale shirts,” Cliff said.
Eventually, merchandise may also be ordered online.
“We hope to have a website up and running by the holidays,” she said.
In addition to adding new merchandise, local artist Sheryl Kline added artwork to the Panther Den, including a giant panther.
“The huge panther jumping out portrays the spirit of our athletes,” Kline said.
The Maumee Athletic Boosters Club donated $500 to fund the project, and Kline donated her time to paint it.
Kline, who studied art at the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, said she enjoys painting large-scale images.
“We wanted it to look like an actual panther den, and I think we accomplished that,” she said.
Proceeds from sale of items at the Panther Den benefit the boosters club, which supports the MHS athletic department.
The Maumee Athletic Boosters Club is on Facebook and those interested are encouraged to become a friend, Kline said.
“We would like to invite everyone to join the meetings and become involved,” she said.
These are sample articles that ran in The Mirror Newspaper.
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