St. Paul’s Episcopal Church In Maumee Marks 175 Years Of Serving Community
BY NANCY GAGNET— MIRROR REPORTER
Selling a pair of blue jeans for $1.00 may not seem significant, but for members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Maumee, it is.
Twice each year, members of the church as well as outside volunteers spend countless hours collecting, sorting, marking and selling used items at their annual rummage sale.
But what makes their effort unique is that all of the proceeds are given to charity, explained the Rev. J. Paul Board, who has served as church rector since 1997.
“We don’t keep any money. It all goes back into the community. It’s not about ourselves, it’s about life in the area and community commitment,” he said.
As the church marks its 175th anniversary this year, local historian Marty Wendler said that community outreach has always been important to church members.
“From the beginning, the people were very dedicated to the church and to the community,” Wendler said.
The church traces its roots to the early 1830s, when James Wolcott and Mary Wells Wolcott built a log chapel on their property, she said. In 1836, leaders petitioned to become an established Episcopal society.
Eight previous Maumee mayors, including first Mayor Robert Forsyth, were church members, Wendler said.
In addition, church member Morrison R. Waite became chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Wendler, who has been a member of the church since 1959, also wrote the book titled A Beacon in the Wilderness, which described stories of the early church settlers.
“It’s always been about community involvement for the people of the church that have sustained it for 175 years. Activities like the rummage sale are a perfect example of that,” she said.
For the past 88 years, the church has held rummage sales with proceeds supporting the community.
Organizers Anne Bashore and Jan Cline said the event heightens the need to help others.
“It’s about fun and fellowship and to serve others in the glory of God. It’s also about making gobs of money so we can give it all away,” Cline said.
Over the past 10 years nearly $250,000 has been raised to help organizations that assist the homeless, battered women, mentally and developmentally disabled individuals, and other neighborhood churches, she said.
In addition, proceeds benefit the church’s food pantry, respite care, mission trips and grants for local organizations.
The outreach committee decides where money goes, Bashore explained.
“There’s a tremendous sense of community and our rector puts a lot of things in perspective as to how the rummage sale relates to Bible teachings,” Bashore said.
According to Board, the rummage sale is important in serving those less fortunate.
“The jeans may only be worth $1.00 at rummage standards. Without secondhand clothing stores, the poor have no access to clothing and wares,” he said.
To mark the 175th anniversary of the church, a summer picnic was held at the Wolcott House Museum Complex. In addition, an anniversary dinner has been planned at the Carranor Hunt and Polo Club on Friday, October 14.
A special organ recital will also take place in November.
For more information about St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, visit www.stpaulsmaumee.org.

Maumee Schools Receive Award For Clean Audit Report
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
For its financial practices, Maumee City Schools has received the Auditor of the State Award.
In September state auditor David Yost named the district a recipient of the award following a 2010 audit in which the district was deemed to have excellent record keeping.
“We were very excited. It was something we had never achieved before and something we had been striving for,” district treasurer Paul Brotzki said.
To receive the award, the district had to be a Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, or GAAP, entity without a certified annual financial report that files its financial reports in a timely manner with the state auditor.
According to a letter sent by Yost to the district, the report could not contain findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, single audit findings or any questioned costs.
“Clean and accurate record-keeping are the foundation for good government and the taxpayers can take pride in your commitment to accountability,” Yost wrote.
Brotzki credited the accounting staff including his assistant and office manager, Debbie Eyre, accounts payable clerk Kris Jones and payroll clerk Linda Posadni with maintaining well kept financial records.
“They do a lot of the day-to-day work that the auditors look at. They keep abreast of things and keep me informed when there are issues and problems that need addressing,” he said.
With a total budget of approximately $29 million, Brotzki said his office has concentrated on budgetary procedures that comply with the Ohio Revised Code.
“We’re also very diligent about expenditures – keeping them in line in the proper accounts and making sure there’s not a whole lot of waste,” he said.