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UT Bash hosts 39th annual BASHCon

By
Steven Bieber
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Gamers gather around the table for a game of Homesteaders. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

TOLEDO – The gaming community was in for a treat this past weekend when the University of Toledo campus unleashed BASHCon. UT Bash, a student organization, hosted the 39th annual event at the Lancelot Thompson Student Union.

Most of the event was in the auditorium on the third floor of the Student Union. Visitors could purchase art, board games, shirts and accessories for role-playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Guests could also choose from several board games to play at a table.

Attendees played arcade games on the second floor. There were also more active events, such as Belagarth, where participants could join a live combat simulation to experience what dueling was like in medieval times.

Kevin prepares to play Wacca Reverse in the arcade room. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

Bryan and Ian engage in a duel hosted by Belegarth Medieval Combat Society. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

Board games could be bought and sold through the annual bazaar, an auction-style event where anyone could bring a board game they wish to part ways with.

About 450 visitors attended the event, including 17 vendors and four vendors.

Christian Pieri, BASHCon lead coordinator, said Toledo BASHCon started in 1986, one year after the student organization began.

“After a year of hanging out, playing tabletop RPG games like Dungeons and Dragons, everyone realized, ‘Hey, a lot of people like this. We should run an event for a bunch of people from all over to come attend, and they started Bashcon,’” said Pieri, who wants attendees to be part of the gaming community.

“The big thing I want people to take away from BashCon is the community that you can find,” he said. “We have all these open play tables set up so the people who’ve never talked before – never seen each other before – can sit down and just have fun, even though they don’t know each other.”

Pieri discussed how board games provide a more friendlier competition than sports.

“It’s a lot more ‘I am against my opponent,’ whereas you sit down at a table with three other people to play a game of Commander for Magic: The Gathering, and most of the time you all just end up having an entirely separate conversation away from the game,” explained Pieri. “While it still can be hyper competitive and there are tournaments and such for it, it’s also so easy to just sit down and play with your friends. It’s a great way to tell a story and get immersed in a world so different from our own.

“My pitch to someone who’s never been to Bashcon before would be if you’ve ever played a board game and had fun, if you’ve ever played a card game and had fun, you could attend Bashcon and at least find one thing you’ll enjoy with all of the vendors, from tabletop RPGs to Magic to figure fighting. We have everything [for] anyone who enjoys board games.”

Heidi Fry, of Jestertastic Creations, sells accessories, including dice and handmade dice bags. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

To have a successful board game convention, there has to be reliable vendors selling board games. One vendor has been a reliable distributor of board games and accessories in Toledo for several years.

Ken Solo, owner and CEO of Checkmate Games and Hobbies, has been part of UT BASHCon since 1986, and Checkmate has been at the event for the last 14 years. He said the mission of Checkmate Games and Hobbies is to get kids away from screens and “interacting with other real live human beings face to face.

“A convention is just to get a whole bunch of people of similar interests to convene. Having a board game is great, but having someone else to play it with makes it worthwhile. We, as upright mammal human beings, need to interact with somebody else, and video gaming can only get you so far.”

Solo discussed the need for human interaction and how too much online gaming can lead to anxiety and depression. He also talked about the learning benefits board games can offer.

“We learn things like forward thinking strategy, or, even in the case of some kids who are playing Pokemon, just reading comprehension. Just doing basic math. Once you do play a card game long enough, you don’t need to pull out your pocket phone so you can use a calculator. You already know that math instantaneously because you do it in your head all the time as you’re playing games.”

Kelson and his wife Kim set up for the Bazaar, an auction of previously owned board games. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

One student there to pursue their interest in D&D and board games was Autumn Cerniak, a sophomore media communications major, who attended to visit a friend working at the event and for D&D. She said the role playing aspect draws her to the game.

“It’s really nice to have a space like this for people like me, and it’s nice to meet up with people to support local vendors. D&D is important to me, and D&D and other board games are very important to these people.

Cerniak also gave a pitch to people who have never attended.

“If they’re a student, I would just say, it’s free. But for someone who’s not a student, you can go check out a bunch of local vendors, play a bunch of board games with your friends. What more could you ask for?”

Dan uses a tape measure to check for line of sight in Bolt Action. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)
Neal Thompson and host Dennis Schroder play Canvas Eagles with homemade stands for the mini planes. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)

Toledoan Jamiya Neal goes to the Big Dance

By
Mark Griffin
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Toledo native Jamiya Neal, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a game heading into Creighton’s NCAA Tournament opener Thursday against Louisville in Lexington, Ky. (Courtesy Photo)

TOLEDO – Jamiya Neal’s feet will never get stuck in cement.

The Toledo native, who helped Rogers’ boys basketball team reach the regional semifinals in 2020, has been, shall we say, on the move over the past several years.

Thursday night, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Neal and the ninth-seeded Creighton Bluejays (24-10) will take on eighth-seeded Louisville (27-7) in a South Region opener in Lexington, Ky.

Neal, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is the only Creighton player to start all 34 games for coach Greg McDermott’s squad.

Creighton basketball coach Greg McDermott, who has led the Bluejays to five straight NCAA Tournaments, said senior guard Jamiya Neal, a Toledo native, has exceeded his expectations. (Courtesy Photo/Sullivan Lawrence)

“I’m pretty excited,” Neal said. “I’m happy we get this opportunity to play another game with our teammates and my coaches. I want to try to extend my senior year as long as I can.”

This will be Neal’s third game playing in an NCAA Tournament game. He played in two NCAA games as a sophomore guard at Arizona State two years ago. He scored a career-high 16 points in the Sun Devils’ 98-73 win over Nevada at the University of Dayton that season.

“It was my first time playing close to home,” Neal said. “I had a lot of family and friends there.”

The Sun Devils lost to TCU, 72-70, on a last-second shot in their second NCAA game.

Neal spent his freshman and sophomore years at St. Francis de Sales High School, then transferred to Rogers for his junior season.

“I was ready to move on from that situation,” Neal said. “One of my best friends was going to Rogers and we knew all those guys at Rogers.”

Eighth-ranked Rogers was set to take a 22-3 record into the 2020 Division II regional semis against top-ranked Lima Shawnee when the Covid-19 pandemic forced officials to cancel the tournament.

“I’m grateful for Rogers and the opportunity to go there,” said Neal, who averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his lone season with the Rams. “I’m still a Ram for life. We had a good shot to win state. There were a lot of seniors on that team and they didn’t get to finish their season.”

Fearful that his senior season at Rogers might get canceled due to Covid, Neal transferred to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Gilbert, Ariz. for his final year of high school. He averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game for the Bruins and still had to decide where to go to college.

“I was playing AAU ball that summer and [Arizona State’s staff] happened to be at one of the tournaments,” Neal said. “We had conversations, and then I went out [to ASU], toured it and decided to go there. It was what I needed; playing with other players who had Division 1 offers, playing against better competition. It got me better prepared had I stayed in Toledo. I’m so happy I made that decision.”

Neal still wasn’t done moving around. He learned about Creighton basketball and decided to transfer to the Omaha, Neb. campus to play for McDermott and the Bluejays.

Toledo native Jamiya Neal, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a game heading into Creighton’s NCAA Tournament opener Thursday against Louisville in Lexington, Ky. He is the only Bluejays player to start all 34 games this season. (Courtesy Photo)

“It just felt like the right fit,” Neal said. “I was searching for something and they had everything where I could grow as a basketball player and as a man. The weather [in Omaha] is kind of the same as Toledo, and it has a little bit of a Toledo feel. You get a big sense of community here, and I like that.”

McDermott, who has led Creighton to five straight NCAA Tournaments, said Neal “has been a breath of fresh air for our program.”

“He came here and has played every role we’ve asked him to play, and he’s become ‘us’ rather than forcing us to become ‘him,’” McDermott said. “That’s not easy when you’re in your last year of college basketball. He comes to work every day with a smile on his face and has really worked hard to get better.

“It’s been fun to watch him connect with his teammates. His assist numbers are as good as they’ve been at any time in his career. I think that’s a sign of trust in your teammates, when you’re willing to share the basketball like that. He understands that they’re going to share it with him as well.”

The Bluejays finished second behind sixth-ranked St. John’s in the Big East standings during the regular season. Creighton got past DePaul in double overtime and then beat two-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut, 71-62, in the Big East Tournament before falling to St. John’s in the championship game at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“I’ve never played at Madison Square Garden,” said Neal, who tied for the team lead with 19 points against UConn, and scored 13 against St. John’s. “It was kind of a surreal feeling. You hear it’s the best arena in the world, and you feel it when you go in.”

The Bluejays took a hit eight games into the season when junior guard Pop Isaacs underwent season-ending hip surgery. Isaacs scored 27 points in the Bluejays’ home win over top-ranked Kansas.

“We were still trying to figure out our identity and we were just finding our groove,” Neal said. “We beat Kansas, then we had to figure it out again. Everybody had to step up and do different things. Everybody had a role to step into and they were prepared to do it; they were capable of doing it. I think that’s why we’ve been so successful.”

Jamiya Neal, a Toledo native, helped Rogers’ boys basketball team reach the regional semifinals in 2020. He spent his freshman and sophomore years at St. Francis de Sales High School, then transferred to Rogers for his junior season. (Courtesy Photo)

Neal, who is majoring in business leadership, is averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds entering the NCAA Tournament. His 150 assists is second on the team, and he is shooting 44 percent from the field.

“He’s exceeded my expectations,” McDermott said. “He came into a very difficult situation. When Pop Isaacs went down with the injury, his role changed again and he had to play a bigger role on the team than what he was earlier in the season. He’s handled that with a lot of maturity.”

Announcement Briefs

By
Press Release
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Pexels photo by Markus Winkler

(Announcements are compiled from press releases and in order received)

NEWS SHORTS BRIEFS ARE UPDATED DAILY

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Walleye announce 2025 Kelly Cup playoffs roster

TOLEDO – The 11th overall and 9th consecutive Toledo Walleye “Run for the Kelly Cup” hockey gets underway at the Huntington Center on Thursday, April 17, as the Indy Fuel return to the Huntington Center to begin the Central Division Semifinals.

Fourteen total forwards make the Kelly Cup playoff roster: Will Hillman, Sam Craggs, Cole Gallant, Billy Moskal, Brandon Hawkins, Tyler Spezia, Trenton Bliss, Conlan Keenan, Nolan Moyle, Brandon Kruse, Darian Pilon, Mitchell Lewandowski, and Colby Ambrosio, along with Carson Bantle, who currently with Grand Rapids.

Eight total defensemen make the roster: Jalen Smereck, Nick Andrews, Matt Anderson, Brendan Michaelian, Bobby Russell, Colin Swoyer, Jed Pietila, and Dylan Moulton.

The goaltenders are Jan Bednar, assigned from Grand Rapids, and Carter Gylander, assigned from Grand Rapids by Detroit.

The active roster will consist of Hillman, Craggs, Gallant, Moskal, Bliss, Keenan, Moyle, Kruse, Pilon, Lewandowski, Ambrosio, Smereck, Andrews, Anderson, Michaelian, Swoyer, Pietila, Moulton, Bednar, and Gylander.

Hawkins, Spezia, and Russell will begin the playoffs on reserve, while Bantle is on the playoff eligible list. (04/15)

BGSU remains a top choice for graduate education in 2025

BOWLING GREEN – Reflecting continued momentum at Bowling Green State University, several of the University’s graduate degree programs have once again been nationally recognized in U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate School rankings.

BGSU remains a top choice for graduate education, supporting students’ career advancement and leadership development, while positioning them for success in ever-evolving industries.

Topped-ranked programs include sociology, speech-language pathology, applied stats, RING Center for Experiential Learning in Art and Design, clinical psychology and public administration. (04/15)

Toledo ranks 3rd in most affordable U.S. city to buy happiness

TOLEDO – A new report by Vegas Aces has revealed the top U.S. cities where money makes Americans the happiest, including the most affordable cities where money can buy happiness. Vegas Aces determined the ranking by analyzing the average household incomes, life expectancies, quality of life scores, and depression rates of the 150 most populous U.S. cities.

Toldeo ranks as the #3 most affordable city where money can buy the most happiness. With an average household income of $62,023 among its more than 265k residents, locals benefit from a lower cost of living while still enjoying the comforts of a fulfilling lifestyle.

The city has a livability score of 66 and life expectancy of 73.8 years, suggesting that even on a modest income, substantial quality of life remains within reach. While the depression rates stand out at 22.8 percent, Toledo’s access to plenty local attractions and a strong sense of community reinforce the idea that happiness isn’t just about wealth.

For the full study, please visit here. (04/15)

Arts Commission launches free digital public art guide

TOLEDO – The Arts Commission’s Art in Public Places program, which
manages the City of Toledo’s public art collection via the One Percent for Art
Program, is launching a new digital public art guide as a free resource via the
Bloomberg Connects platform.

The guide is available as both a mobile app and web browser, with a wide array of
features to equip all visitors to explore Toledo’s Public Art collection, including
on-site tours, a live map showing user location for wayfinding within the
collection, audio descriptions for selected works, and a slate of accessible
features including translation and screen reader capabilities, transcripts, subtitles,
alt-text, and more. Select works also include individual on-site accessibility notes
highlighting transit, parking, seating, and other site conditions.

This guide is the result of an ongoing accessibility initiative for the Art in Public
Places collection, informed by an accessibility audit completed in 2024 in
partnership with The Ability Center, and supported by an Ohio Arts Council
ArtsNEXT grant.

The guide contains over 50 major sculptures throughout the city, and The Arts
Commission aims to expand access to include other works in the Art in Public
Places collection including murals, benches, bike racks, and signal box wraps.

The Digital Public Art Guide can be found here. (04/11)

Kat Cole, CEO at AG1, announced as keynote speaker for the  
2025 Women’s Leadership Summit presented by Owens Corning 

TOLEDO – The 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit announces this year’s event theme, “Driving Excellence Through Mentorship” and will feature Kat Cole, CEO of AG1 – a global health company focused on foundational nutrition – as the keynote speaker.  

The 2025 event will be held on Thursday, July 10, at the Glass City Center. In its ninth year, the Summit will continue to empower women, develop individuals and give back to the community. This year’s event launches a new format that will provide networking and mentorship opportunities throughout the year.  

Cole is CEO at AG1, a global health company focused on foundational nutrition. In her role, she is responsible for leading AG1’s next phase of growth, global expansion, and innovation. Cole is a seasoned business leader and sought-after advisor with more than 20 years of operational, brand, and executive leadership experience. She has been a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a member of the United Nations Global Entrepreneurs Council, and named to Fortune’s annual 40 Under 40 list. 

Funds raised will benefit local northwest Ohio children’s charities. 

Sponsorship opportunities are available including Full Tables for $5,000 (10 seats), Half Tables for $2,500 (5 seats) and Individual tickets for $500, which include the luncheon and full day of programming.  Individual tickets for the program only are available for $50.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Savannah Wagener at 419-531-3277 or email at swagener@toledoclassic.com. (04/11)

Olga’s Kitchen opens new host kitchen in Toledo

TOLEDO – Olga’s Kitchen, owned and operated by Michigan-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR), has announced that the Mediterranean restaurant launched a new host kitchen in Toledo in partnership with Mainstreet Ventures Restaurant Group. 

The new host kitchen, which offers a variety of fan-favorite menu items — from Olgas (gyros) to snackers — is now open for delivery and pickup orders out of Zia’s Restaurant. Carryout orders can be picked up at 20 Main Street. Delivery orders can be placed on olgas.com or through Uber Eats and DoorDash.

“We know that fans in Toledo have a deep love for our unique Mediterranean menu, and Olga’s is forging a new partnership to meet that demand,” said Ryan Jones, vice president of operations at Olga’s Kitchen. “Working with a trusted partner like Mainstreet Ventures Restaurant Group allows us to offer fan-favorite menu items to Toledo with the same fresh ingredients used in our other locations.” (04/07)

Brent Courson, executive chef at the group, agrees. “We’re proud to bring Olga’s original recipes to the Toledo community.”  

For more information about Olga’s Kitchen, visit olgas.com. 

Commissioners seek people to serve on boards, commissions

TOLEDO – The Board of Lucas County Commissioners is inviting residents to take an active role in shaping the future of their community by applying to serve on various boards, commissions and advisory committees.

These appointments provide an opportunity for individuals to contribute their expertise, insight and passion to local government, ensuring that Lucas County remains a thriving, well-managed community.

“Public participation is essential to good governance,” the Lucas County Commissioners said in a joint statement. “By lending their talents to serve on a board, residents will have the chance to weigh in on key decisions, advocate for important issues, and help guide policies that impact the lives of their fellow residents.”

Residents from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Whether you have experience in business, public service, law, or another field, there are numerous opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

Lucas County is currently accepting applications for the following boards:

  • Toledo Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees
  • Lucas Metropolitan Housing Board of Commissioners
  • Lucas County Children Services Board of Trustees
  • Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful Board of Directors
  • Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Board of Directors (04/07)
Individuals interested in applying can find more information and submit an application by visiting the Boards and Commissions page on the Lucas County website.
For questions or assistance, contact the Lucas County Commissioners office at (419) 213-4821.

BGSU alumni support student success through scholarships

BOWLING GREEN – Three distinguished Bowling Green State University alumni inspired by the remarkable stories of students in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program have collaborated to establish a scholarship to support the educational journeys of 20 students over the next three years.

Brad Seaman ‘82, his brother, Spence Seaman ’79 and Eric Nowlin ‘82, together with their wives, Lindsay Waite, Sue Seaman ‘76 and Jackie Nowlin, established the Pathway to Excellence Scholarship to support Thompson Achiever Scholars.

Thompson Achievers demonstrate academic success and financial need during their first year at BGSU and are awarded a scholarship in their second year. The scholarship is renewable for up to four additional semesters based on continued academic success. BGSU awarded a combined $6.6 million in scholarships to the most recent cohort of Thompson Achiever Scholars at the end of March.

The Thompson Working Families Scholarship expands access to higher education by removing obstacles that could inhibit success while empowering students to focus on academic excellence, leadership development and public service. (04/07)

To learn more about how to support the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, visit here.

Arts Commission awardees for Intersection Glass Program

TOLEDO – The 2025 Intersection awardees have recently been selected from
four finalists. The Arts Commission is pleased to announce that three
internationally recognized artists will be creating new work for exhibition this fall
as part of the Intersection Program. The awardees are Anjali Srinivasan, Justin Ginsberg, and Kagen Dunn.

Intersection is a program that connects artists, designers, and industry
professionals at Pilkington Glass North American (Nippon Sheet Glass, Co., Ltd.)
for collaboration and development of new, innovative artworks. Inspired by the
studio glass movement, The Arts Commission seeks to provide opportunities
which connect applicants of glass as an artistic medium with the glass
manufacturing processes.

The exhibition is scheduled for Sept. 11 – Oct. 18. The opening reception is to be held on Sept. 11. Both the exhibition and opening reception will be free and open to the public and will be held at the River House Arts gallery in the Secor Building. (04/06)

Walleye Shuttle connects fans to playoffs

The Toledo Walleye are in the ECHL playoffs for the eighth full season in a row, and the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)’s Walleye Shuttle will be there to make it easy for fans to catch every home game this postseason.

The Walleye Shuttle offers a $3 round-trip ride to the Huntington Center from five area park-and-ride locations during the playoffs, which begin the week of April 14. Regular riders of this service will notice slight differences from the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides.These include a new park-and-ride location for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.

Regular riders of this service – which allows fans to see the Walleye go after the Kelly
Cup while avoiding paying for parking downtown – will notice slight differences from
the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides. These include a new park-and-ride location
for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.The Walleye Shuttle will pick up customers at:
 Sylvania, Lourdes University Franciscan Center, 6832 Convent Blvd., pick-up
one hour and 15 minutes before puck drop
 Waterville, Kroger, 8730 Waterville Swanton Road, pick-up one hour and 15
minutes before puck drop
 Miracle Mile Shopping Center, 1727 West Laskey Road, pick-up one hour
before puck drop

 Maumee, Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key Street, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
 Oregon, Starr Elementary School, 3230 Starr Avenue, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Each shuttle will head back to park-and-ride locations 20 minutes after the conclusion
of the game. (04/03)

Schmucker’s sells out of pie on Pi Day

By
Mary Helen Delisle
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Summer Rick cuts a piece of pie for a customer during 3.14 PI(e) Day at Schumuckers Restauarnt on March 14. (TFP Photo/Scott W. Grau)

TOLEDO – Customers at Schmucker’s Restaurant made raising money for charity as easy as pie.  

On March 14, also known as National Pi Day, $1 of every pie sale was donated to the Cherry Street Mission, regardless of whether customers bought a whole pie or just a slice.

It wasn’t by coincidence that the fundraiser took place on National Pi Day, which has occurred every March 14 since 1988, when physicist Larry Shaw, a staff member at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, linked the date March 14 (3/14) with the first three digits of pi (3.14).

Schmucker’s Restaurant owner Doug Schmucker said the fundraiser, going on for more than a decade, is a way to give back to the community.

“Our relationship with God is foundational to who we are,” he said. “We feel called to give back. This is our 77th year [in business] and we wouldn’t be at this place without the support of the community. And what better way to say thank you to the community than to give back to the community and give back to Cherry Street Mission?”

But Schmucker’s Restaurant was not the only business that gave back on Pi Day.

Savage and Associates, a financial advising company in Maumee, agreed to match Schmucker’s Restaurant’s donations dollar-for-dollar. Together, the businesses raised $5,000 ($2,500 + $2,500) for the mission this year.

This is the fifth year Savage Associates has supported the pi day event, which started after Schmucker asked his friend from the gym, Sean Savage, if he would like to participate.  

Toledoan Russell Spezialem, 87, eats a piece of pie during 3.14 PI(e) Day at Schumucker’ Restaurant on March 14. (TFP Photo/Scott W. Grau)

Cherry Street Mission offers a variety of services for members of the Toledo community. According to their website, “Cherry Street Mission endlessly seeks to eradicate poverty of the body, soul and spirit by connecting individuals to the resources they need, creating health and community sustainability.”

“Cherry Street Mission is in the work of bringing people up out of difficult situations, which in turn makes our community a better place,” Schmucker said.

Schmucker’s customer Dean Barton was one of many who came to support the fundraiser by purchasing pie with his meal.

“I support the Cherry Street Mission,” said Barton. “I know people who have been to the Cherry Street Mission. They come out sober.”

Barton said he planned to order two or three flavors of pie, deliberating between the cherry crumb, cheesecake and Dutch apple pies.  

Schmucker said this is the first year they have held the fundraiser on National Pi Day, rather than National Pie Day, which is on January 23. While last year he said they had 100 pies leftover, this year they made more. They sold out by 4 p.m. and had to make more to keep up with all the orders.

A bucket for donations to the Cherry Street Mission Ministries sits on the counter by the cash register while general manager Misty Hill rings up a sale during 3.14 PI(e) Day. (TFP Photo/Scott W. Grau)

Due to this year’s success, Schmucker said they will likely hold the fundraiser on Pi Day next year.

“I wanted to make it more impactful for Cherry Street. I mean, it’s not about Schmucker’s, right? Sure, it’s fun to eat pie. But it’s about Cherry Street and what they do for our community,” he said.

Pie/Pi Day is not the only fundraiser Schmucker’s Restaurant does, however.

A sign making customers aware of sold out pies is taped to the front door on 3.14 PI(e) Day at Schumucker’s Restaurant on March 14. (TFP Photo/Scott W. Grau)

Schmucker said their other fundraisers have been for Sunshine Children’s Home, a facility which helps support children with medically complex needs. Their last fundraiser was during Schmucker’s Restaurant’s 75th year in business, where 75 percent of proceeds went to support Sunshine.

Schmucker said when Schmucker’s Restaurant reaches their 80th year in business, they plan to do a fundraiser where 80 percent of the proceeds go to Sunshine. 

Though Schmucker said the restaurant has donated to other organizations, the Cherry Street Mission and Sunshine fundraisers are the most significant. 

“Those are the two big ones that are near and dear to my heart,” Schmucker said.

Schmucker’s Restaurant in Toledo. (TFP Photo/Scott W. Grau)

Automata from the mind of Will Gerhardinger

By
Stephen Zenner
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0
William Gerhardinger tests his hand automaton. Gerhardinger ran strings through the digits of the hand he fashioned from wood and attached the strings to a drum with programable slots to control how the hands moves. (TFP Photos/Stephen Zenner)

TOLEDO — With a swift crank, Will Gerhardinger activated the input mechanism for his homemade wooden calculator. 

“This is my calculator. It’s a little big, but it doesn’t need any batteries,” he said, introducing the device.  

On his YouTube channel What Will Makes, an in-depth video made by Gerhardinger explains the intricacies of the geared system he made to automate the mathematic processes of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.

“I can remember my mom saying I should just make it a shorter video,” Gerhardinger recalled after his first video featuring an automaton hand with a runtime of over 10 minutes. “‘Just talk about this one aspect of it.’ But in my mind, what makes it so interesting is that all these different parts come together into the one object.”

Ignoring the advice from his mother, the 22-year-old college graduate jam-packed nearly 35 minutes of information into the explanatory video, and he was pleasantly surprised to find an audience of over 175K tuning in to find out about the wooden mechanical device based off of a 19th century arithmometer. 

Gerhardinger was just trying to communicate what he found interesting about the mechanism and didn’t anticipate the warm reception from his online audience. 

William Gerhardinger, 22, of west Toledo, inspects a 50mm 1.8F Pentax Super-Takumar lens in his room inside his parents’ home in Toledo, Ohio on Monday February 10, 2025.

“Simply incredible,” read one of the 1,089 comments under the video from the user @aghauler1964. Aghauler1964 continued, “Im an amature [amateur] horologist, Im simply amazed, not only that you created this machine, but you also described its function and theory.”

But for Gerhardinger, the function and theory are inseparable parts to the final product.

“I think there’s something about the length [of the video] that people actually like,” he said, and qualified the statement by saying his viewers, at least, don’t mind a deep-dive. More than just showing how the device works in the video, Gerhardinger walks his viewers through the making of the device. 

The video combines mechanically complex problem solving with a DIY woodworking presentation, but Gerhardinger also voices over the physical process with historical analysis and philosophical musings.

In his calculator gears and levers represent to Gerhardinger a physical solution to a conceptual problem. Looking behind the curtain, the kinetic movement of the mechanism explained how people hundreds of years in the past approached mathematics. 

“There’s something so simple about the causality of mechanics…on the basic level it’s so simple, it’s just like, thing-hits-thing.”

When building his own arithmometer, Gerhardinger simply looked at past ones, without a tutorial or plans. 

The inside mechanisms of the wooden calculator made by William Gerhardinger, 22, of west Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio on Monday February 10, 2025. Gerhardinger made his own hand-crank calculator based off of a 17th century design by Gottfried Leibniz called the Stepped Reckoner.

“Because it’s mechanical, I knew I could understand how it’s going to work,” he said. “I dabble in electronics, but it’s not as interesting to me because you can’t see how it’s working.”

There’s a sort of magic when you see a mechanical computer working that you can begin to understand what it’s doing, just by looking at it.”

The project of building the calculating machine has been eight years in the making, but Gerhardinger began the project as a curious freshman in high school investigating his interests.

Unsurprisingly, Will’s father, Joseph Gerhardinger, is a retired mathematics teacher who taught at Notre Dame Academy, and Will’s grandfather, Will’s namesake, was a tool and dye maker for Sealed Power, an automotive repair parts supplier.

“My dad (William) was very mechanical,” said Joseph Gerhardinger. “I think he would have been very intrigued,” by his grandson’s work.

Will Gerhardinger first began revealing his mechanical ability around three or four years old when he started taking the switches for lamps in his parents’ home. In another instance early indication of his mechanical prowess the young Will mimicked his father by taking the cover off of power outlets with a screwdriver. “My wife and I quickly learned we had to limit his exposure to tools until he learned safety protocols,” Joseph Gerhardinger said.

Until junior high, Will’s father was unsure if he could follow through on his aspiring projects, but then he automated an old bicycle left around the house.

“He actually hooked up the trigger for the drill switch to the front brake…you’d press the front brake, and that would cause the drill to power the bike,” Joseph Gerhardinger recalled. 

Engineering seemed to be an obvious career trajectory for Will, but after taking an engineering course in high school he found engineering to be too narrow of a field for his creative mind. Instead, Will opted for a liberal arts education from Kenyon College, studying history and especially falling in love with the history of technology.

“I was briefly an intern at a museum in New Jersey, a really cool museum called the Morris Museum that houses a lot of automata and music boxes,” Will said. “That was very cool.”

William Gerhardinger is hand-to-hand with his wooden hand automaton. Gerhardinger ran strings through the digits of the hand he fashioned from wood, and attached the strings to a drum with programable slots to control how the hands moves.

Like he had done before, Will observed the mechanisms in the museum, and decided to implement his own automaton mimicking the figure and movements of a hand, with strings and a programable drum serving as the controller for the hand’s fingers. 

The hand automaton would serve as the subject matter for Will’s first video on YouTube with significantly less explanation, less complexity in the design and less viewers than his calculator video. This first foray into video was a good test vehicle for the more widely appreciated calculator project. 

“I kind of unintentionally became an artist,” Will said, after relaying that some people had mentioned putting his creations into an exhibition. Intentionally, Will crafted every solution he reasoned into reality with poplar wood.

“There’s an honesty to it,” he said about cutting and shaping the gears, bevels and a chain out of wood by hand.

“There’s almost a care put into the object,” he added. “And I think watching the video, you appreciate that, because you see me making it [the object]. But the thing and [the process of] making it is… they’re inseparable.” 

Less sentimental people badgered Will in the comments under his video about the process he was implementing, asking why he hadn’t 3D printed the parts for his mechanical device.

“Even though it would be a lot quicker to program a computer to spit it out in a 3D printer, there wouldn’t be any big connection that people would feel, or that he would feel,” Joseph Gerhardinger said, knowing his son. “Part of what makes it [Will’s work] accessible [is that] people can see how this complex gear mechanism works…but also the fact that you [or anyone] could make it with hand tools or power tools.”

A wooden dangling figure made by William Gerhardinger.

You can imagine yourself painting, because you can understand the process. There’s a brush and there’s oil paint or pastel, or watercolor, whatever, but you can see a human hand made this. And that’s why standing in an art museum and looking at a painting is more moving to people than looking at a reproduction that was printed.”

A comment section full of praise reassured Gerhardinger of his instinct. 

“I assumed this was laser cut and was already impressed,” said @thethoughtemporium. “Then I saw the scroll saw. Then it slowly dawned on me you built the whole thing with hand tools **out of wood** no less, and my jaw dropped.”

The internet has embraced Gerhardinger’s authenticity to himself, perhaps because Gerhardinger presents a return to a friendlier, more personal approach to thought and creation.

“Him making it [the calculator] out of wood was the most fitting thing I’ve ever seen, because we were working with metal in the labs all the time,” said Andrew Smith, the lead mentor for Gerhardinger’s robotics team at St. John’s High School.

“Metal was everywhere,” in the robotics competition, according to Smith, but Will would insist on his own volition to make prototype parts out of wood.

Will would always go home, hand carve it [the piece for their robot] out of poplar wood and then come back and go, ‘Hey guys, I thought of this neat idea of how we could solve this problem we ran into. Let’s go ahead and try this piece of poplar wood that I’ve carved.’”

Andrew Smith

Perhaps it is also unsurprising that one of Will’s uncles is a cabinet-maker.

From the woodworking to the mechanics, philosophy to the video, Will has really only sought to explain himself and his love for what he was making.

“People would ask me what I’m doing, and I would kind of get overwhelmed with trying to answer the question,” Will said. “The answer is so big, and I realized that I can’t ask this person to sit down for a half hour [to] listen to me talk about all this, but I could make a video representing all of it.”

And so he did.

Will has been happy to find out through his YouTube channel that his creative ability and love of mechanical technology has an audience.

Will said he has a few projects in the hopper, as far as YouTube is concerned. But for now, he does not have any hard deadlines on when they will be finished.

Presently, Will is working at a clock repair shop, putting his mechanical prowess to good use. For the past number of months he has been apply to graduate programs, and recently Will was accepted into the graduate fellowship with the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture: Studying the History and Philosophy of People and Their Things, at the University of Delaware. Will plans to accept the fellowship with the Winterthur Program at the University of Delaware.

William Gerhardinger removes the number plate to his hand-crank calculator. Gerhardinger made his own hand-crank calculator based off of a 17th century design by Gottfried Leibniz called the Stepped Reckoner.

The inside mechanisms of the wooden calculator.

William Gerhardinger holds The Portable Blake, a collection of William Blake’s writings. A graduate of Kenyon College with an undergraduate degree in the history of technology, Gerhardinger combines philosophy with the purposes behind his mechanical creations.

Happenings Calendar

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Press Release
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Pexels photo by Markus Winkler

(Happenings are compiled from press releases and placed in order of occurring dates)

NEWS SHORTS BRIEFS ARE UPDATED DAILY

HAPPENINGS

Inaugural Firecracker 5K Run/Walk honors Sterling “Butch” Rahe

Springfield Township’s SUMMER SERIES 2025 will kick off this year on June 28 with the inaugural FIRECRACKER 5K Run/Walk to honor the memory of Pvt. Sterling “Butch” Rahe. 

On April 22, township trustees, representatives from the Springfield Township and Toledo fire departments, members of Butch’s family, and event sponsors will gather to honor Butch’s memory by offering complete details about the event and announce the opening of registration for the 5K Run/Walk.

Tuesday, April 22 at 1:15 in Springfield Township’s Homecoming Park > Press Conference
June 28: 5K > Run/Walk

Rachel Ruysch: Nature into Art comes to TMA

Toledo, OH– Rachel Ruysch: Nature into Art, the first major exhibition of Ruysch’s art, will be on view beginning in April. Featuring over 100 works—including paintings, botanical books and drawings, and plant and animal specimens, the exhibition explores Ruysch’s extraordinary career and the intersection of art, science, and natural history.  

The visitor’s experience with the exhibition is enhanced with interactive and educational elements including an audio guide, an audio description tour, a digital species map, tactile and scent features, a printed exhibition guide, and a fully illustrated catalogue available for purchase. 

Highlights of the exhibition include:  

  • Several important Ruysch paintings from major international collections that have rarely or never been on public view. 
  • A reunion of Flower Still Life (c.1716–1720), TMA’s Ruysch masterpiece, and its long-separated pendant, Still Life with Fruit, Bird’s Nest and Insects (1716), from Dudmaston Hall in England.  
  • Three portraits of Ruysch, including a family portrait with her husband and youngest son and a recently discovered portrait of the artist in her studio.  
  • Works by Ruysch’s sister Anna, also a talented flower painter who experienced a far shorter career than Ruysch.  (04/09)
April 12-July 27 in the Levis Gallery in the Edward B Green Beaux-Arts Building on the campus of TMA. Tickets to the exhibition are $10 per visitor and free for TMA members. General admission to the museum and parking are free to all visitors.

Northwest Ohio gears up for Glass Recycling Blitz

NORTHWEST OHIO – The Northwest Ohio Innovation Consortium (NOIC) announced the Northwest Ohio Glass Recycling Blitz, a week-long event dedicated to raising awareness and increasing participation in glass recycling.

Throughout the week, designated collection sites will be set up across Lucas and
Wood Counties to make recycling more accessible for residents. Additional site details will
be announced soon.

The Glass Recycling Blitz aims to educate the community on the benefits of keeping glass out of landfills and encourage residents to adopt more sustainable waste management habits. Participants are invited to bring glass bottles only (excluding non-recyclable glass materials such as windows, Pyrex, and fiberglass).

April 16-22, with a kickoff event on April 16 at 1 p.m. to officially launch the
initiative, which takes place at the OI Perrysburg Levis Commons Campus Plaza 3 Parking Lot, an established public glass recycling drop-off location.

ProMedica community event highlights recovering from aphasia

April 24 – Stroke Support Group – ​The ProMedica Stroke Support Group will discuss recovering with aphasia with the University of Michigan Aphasia Program. The support group will take place at the ProMedica Flower Hospital Conference Center (5200 Harroun Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560) beginning at 4:30 p.m. Stroke survivors, caregivers and supporters are all encouraged to attend. No registration is required.

Local TEDx event features 10 Toledo-area high school students

TOLEDO – A TEDx event featuring 10 local high school student speakers is just around the corner. The event is free and open to the public. Dinner will be provided.

This year’s co-organizers of TEDxMaumeeValleyCountryDaySchool are junior Layan Ridi and senior Daivik Patel.
“This event has become a large, impactful event where students and adults all come together to engage in discussions in a night of entertainment and education,” said Ridi

This year’s speakers will each give up to a 15-minute talk. All talks take place on the main stage of the school’s Millennium Theatre. The speakers, schools and topics are:
● Marah Ariss, Perrysburg High School, 11th grade: “Special Needs Awareness”
● Alex Ban, Perrysburg High School, 10th grade: “The Troubled Teen Industry”
● Andy Caillaux, Maumee Valley Country Day School, 11th grade: “Lifting More than
Weights”
● Adhya Duggal, William Mason High School, 11th grade: “Octopus: What We Can Learn
from the Deep Sea Creature”
● Arsalan Failsal, St. John’s Jesuit, 11th grade: “How Stories Shape our Perception of
Morality”
● David Liu, Sylvania Southview, 12th grade: “Seven Deadly Frames”
● Baraah Mansour, Maumee High School, 12th grade: “Surviving Life; Independence vs.
Self Reliance”

Friday, April 25 from 5-8 p.m. on the campus of Maumee Valley Country Day School.

Imagination Station summer camps are on sale

TOLEDO – Where can you be a Hollywood director one week, a magician the next and a time traveler the week after? The only correct answer: Imagination Station’s Summer Camps —now on sale.

With two new camp experiences this year, there’s an adventure for every explorer. Plus, Imagination Station is bringing back fan favorites, making them bigger and better than ever.

Imagination Station’s camps keep kids engaged in learning all summer long with interactive and immersive experiences. From launching rockets to engineering original inventions, every week is packed with hands-on STEAM learning that sparks creativity and is full of fun.

June - August at the Imagination Station. To register, CLICK HERE. 
More information about camp including registration, pricing and scholarships can be found HERE.

Lucas SWCD offers fish fingerling sale for spring pond stocking

LUCAS COUNTY – The Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District (Lucas SWCD) has partnered with Fender’s Fish Hatchery (Baltic, OH) to offer new and established pond owners the opportunity to stock their ponds conveniently and at a low cost.

Five different types of fish fingerlings, ranging 1” to 6” in size depending on species, are available through the sale for $1.40 or less per fish. The species include Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, and Fathead Minnows. Also available through the sale is Nature’s Pond Conditioner, an all-natural solution to reduce pond muck and improve overall water quality in a pond. It is available in a 1-gallon and 5-gallon size.

The deadline to place an order is May 6. The pick-up date is Tuesday, May 13 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Lucas County Fairgrounds. To place an order, visit the website (www.LucasSWCD.org/fishsale) or stop by the office in Toledo. This sale requires pre-ordering — cash, check, or credit card is accepted.

Contact office at (419) 893-1966 or visit the Lucas SWCD website.

Steven J Athanas: Luck o’ the Irish

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Steven J Athanas
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Steven J Athanas: Inter-species communication

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Steven J Athanas
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Toledo Rockets defused by Ball State

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Max Alfonso
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Toledo native Kendall Carruthers goes up for a wide open layup as Ball State can only watch.

Story by Max Alfonso | Photos by Kyle Brown

CLEVELAND – Going into the locker room during halftime, No. 2 Toledo women’s basketball team was up by three points and feeling confident they could knock off No. 1 Ball State to claim the MAC Championship at Rocket Arena on Saturday.

The Toledo bench reacts to a three-point shot.
The Toledo fans held onto hope throughout the tournament, showing unwavering support all season long.

After all, the Rockets put down Ball State 70-66 the last time they met nearly a month ago.

But Toledo blew the half-time lead, and Ball State outlasted Toledo 65-58 behind a 4th quarter 14-point surge by forward Alex Richard, who finished the game with 28 points and nine rebounds. She had help by point guard Ally Becki, who stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, five assists and seven rebounds, helping to earn the Cardinals their first MAC Championship title since 2009.

Richard was named to the All-MAC Second Team and Tournament Team, along with Becki, who was crowned the MAC Player of the Year and was First Team All-MAC, as well as the tournament MVP.

This is the second straight year Toledo will not make the NCAA tournament. The Rockets made it to the Big Dance two years ago under Tricia Cullop, who left after 16 seasons to take the head coaching job at the University of Miami (Florida).

Toledo head coach Ginny Boggess directs a play from the sidelines as Toledo regains possession.

After three seasons at Monmouth, Ginny Boggess was hired to replace Cullop and will likely continue her first year with an invite to play in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT). Both selection shows are on Sunday, March 16.

In the media room after the game, Boggess said she was proud of the entire roster and how far they have come as team.

“I’m really excited that because of our work in the regular season, this won’t be the last time these two wear this jersey,” Boggess said, referring to Sammi Mikonowicz and Khera Goss, who were sitting next to her. Both seniors were named to the All-MAC tournament team.

Sammi Mikonowicz crashes hard to the floor during a layup attempt. The play resulted with a foul on Ball State’s Alex Richard.

Championship game notes

For all three tournament games, Toledo’s Nan Garcia, named 6th MAC Player of the Year, was moved into the starting lineup, replacing Jessica Cook. Garcia responded with back-to-back games of double-figure scoring. But in the championship game, Garcia had five turnovers, was blocked several times under the net, and finished with only three points, making only one of her eight shots.

Toledo’s Jessica Cook, center, reacts to a foul she received.

Toledo found a bit of success with Cook, who made all four of her shot attempts to finish with eight points, but found herself in foul trouble with four fouls.

Toledo native Kendall Carruthers led the way for Toledo with 17 points, making seven of her nine shot attempts.

Rossford’s Mikonowicz and Goss combined for 19 points for Toledo.

Toledo’s Sammi Mikonowicz shoots over Ball State’s Madelyn Bischoff as power forward Evalyse Cole watches.
Sammi Mikonowicz reacts to a foul during a layup from Ball State’s Marie Kiefer, 14.

After the game, Boggess pointed out that second chance points were a big turning point in the game. Toledo had five and the Cardinals had 11.

“I told them when I took the job that their legacy is already cemented with the three championships,” Boggess said, talking about her seniors. “If they teach these young kids how to win, then their legacy will live on. Our future is because of them buying in and letting us do our jobs.”

When the season concludes, Toledo will lose five key pieces from a team that has won a lot of big games and an NCAA tournament game over Iowa State in 2023. It was the first Rocket win in the NCAA tournament since 1996. 

“I’m really grateful for what the Toledo provides us, to create that elite student athlete experience. We’ve got something really special here,” Boggess said.

Toledo men lose in semifinal

No. 4 Toledo men’s basketball lost to the No. 1 seeded Akron in the semifinal Friday night with a score of 100-90. They finished the season with a 18-15 record, their eighth consecutive season with a record over .500.

The men have won the MAC regular season title the past four seasons in a row, but woes in Cleveland have prevented an NCAA tournament appearance. This year they finished fourth after they lost six of eight games to close the regular season. Toledo hasn’t made the NCAA tournament since 1979-1980.  

Toledo started four sophomores, so you would think next year they should be much improved, being that they have much more experience. But with the transfer portal, you never know what could happen. After last season, Toledo lost three starters to the portal.

In some ways, it was a miracle Toledo finished the year 18-15. According to KenPom, Toledo finished the season last in the MAC in defensive efficiency and 7th in 3p%. Not a winning recipe.

Toledo men’s basketball will likely not play in a postseason tournament.

No. 2 Toledo begins to process their loss to #1 Ball State as they watch the Cardinals celebrate on court.

Toledo head coach Ginny Boggess watches down court as players react to a basket.

Khera Goss receives a pass and begins to drive up to the basket.

Toledo Blue Crew members (from left to right) Woozyy #128, Jammies #130, Heartthrob #134, Nutcracker #127, and Granny #129.

Toledo head coach Ginny Boggess goes over a play during a time out.

Toledo head coach Ginny Boggess questions Faith Fedd-Robinson about a foul.

Toledo’s Jessica Cook saves the ball from being out of bounds by tossing it to teammate Khera Goss.

The Toledo bench reacts to a foul on Sammi Mikonowicz.

Toledo Rockets cheer on Toledo during a foul shot.

Sammi Mikonowicz drives past Ball State’s Marie Kiefer.

Hannah Noveroske calls a play to her teammates while on the bench.

Khera Goss, Sammi Mikonowicz and Cadence Dykstra wait at half court as a Ball State player was tended to after a fall.

Rossford native and Toledo senior Sammi Mikonowicz, center, gets emotional after the team’s loss.

Sammi Mikonowicz, from left, Kendall Carruthers and Khera Goss wait for their coach to take them into the locker room after a heartbreaking defeat.

Sammi Mikonowicz, center, is escorted off of the court by teammates Faith Fedd-Robinson, left, and Kendall Carruthers after their loss to Ball State. Mikonowicz and Carruthers are both from the Toledo area.

Chorus frogs emerge in our metroparks

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Art Weber
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The first wave of chorus frogs has emerged and are singing for mates in our vernal pools. A wonderful place to hear them is along the Wabash-Cannonball Trail. (Courtesy Photo/Art Weber)

TOLEDO – Everywhere there are signs that Mother Nature is awakening from winter’s slumber. The timing is about right; On Thursday, March 20, the astronomical first day of spring is on the vernal equinox.

Most of the early signs are subtle – buds swelling, skunk cabbage emerging, eagles nesting. More obvious is the growing song along Metroparks Toledo’s Wabash-Cannonball Trail, where vernal pools are welcoming chorus frogs and spring peepers settle in and serenade the opposite sex with their song.

We’re just in the opening act of their performance. The two species are small and blend in well with their environment. They may be difficult to see, but their loud songs are distinctive and easy to identify. 

Chorus frogs have a loud quavering call, usually described as a fingernail running down a comb, only its tone and delivery can carry a kilometer away and it is heard day and night. In some Metroparks Toledo locations, approaching the pools can be deafening. 

Spring peepers use a single high peep, described as sweet and melodious.

Both species will be performing for several weeks. 

In future weeks, there will be others – 10 frog and toad species – each with its distinctive song. And then there will be our songbirds. 

There’s so much to look forward to on Metroparks Toledo trails. 

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