Maumee Holiday Light Parade Set For Saturday, November 29
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Sparkling floats will once again take to the streets of Maumee during the annual Holiday Light Parade this Saturday, November 29.
The festive event features marching bands, dance groups and floats adorned with Christmas lights.
Santa Claus, the parade’s special guest, will travel on the last parade float, then flip the switch to illuminate the trees that will decorate Conant Street throughout the season.
At the corner of East Wayne Street and Conant Street, a 30-foot pine tree decorated with solar-powered lights will also be illuminated.
The uptown businesses are competing in a storefront decorating contest to help celebrate the season.
During the parade, Maumee Rotary members will collect nonperishable food donations curbside from spectators. Donations will be given to the Toledo Northwest Ohio Food Bank.
Before the parade kicks off, the Holiday Hustle 5K Run and 1.5-mile fun walk will take place.
It’s a great way to work off that turkey dinner, and awards will be given to runners for the best illuminated, cutest, race director’s choice and most creative holiday costume.
A free movie pass will also be given to all male runners who beat Santa Claus and female runners who beat Mrs. Claus.
Following the parade, kids may visit Santa in the Maumee Indoor Theater.
The Holiday Hustle run and walk begin at 5:15 p.m., and the parade begins at 6:30 p.m.
Live performances by the Maumee High School Select Choir and On Q Dance Center will take place at 6:00 p.m.
For more information visit www.maumee.org.
Fourth-Graders Lend Their Smarts In Maumee Trivia Contest
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
In a raucous night of grade school trivia, four brave adults found out if they were indeed smarter than a fourth-grader.
Based on the popular TV show Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader? the Maumee Indoor Theater was transformed into the set of a game show on November 20.
In a theater filled with students, teachers and parents, game show contestants tested their wits on a variety of topics.
“I’m going to start on a positive note – I’m going to cheat,” said Fort Miami principal Dwight Fertig, who was first to step to the podium.
His third-grade U.S. history question: “The Stamp Act taxed what?”
Maddy Schmidt, a Fort Miami fourth-grader picked by Fertig to help him, provided the correct answer: legal documents.
Fertig, Don Adamski of St. Luke’s Hospital, Kristi Leigh of Fox 36 and Marlee Teadt, a Maumee High School senior, played the game in front of an energized crowd.
Teadt filled in for radio personality Johnny D., who was ill.
The contestants were asked literature questions such as, “Who wrote Mr. Popper’s Penguins?” and animal science including, “What animal changes color in winter: a rabbit, turtle or frog?”
“I don’t see too many frogs or turtles in the winter,” Adamski said. “I’m going to go with my gut here and say rabbits,” which was correct.
Each adult was asked five questions and they had the option to “cheat” by using answers provided by a fourth-grader or trust their own answers. They could only use two cheats.
In addition to Maddy, the fourth-graders on stage included Francesca Khanga of Wayne Trail Elementary, Kaeden Miller of Union Elementary, Jake Caswell of St. Joseph Catholic School and Matthew Burkett of Fairfield Elementary.
The categories included literature, spelling, social studies, history, geography and science. There was also a special category of Maumee trivia.
The students proved to be a valuable asset as they continually came up with the right answers, including Kaeden, who knew that the Maumee River was at one time called the Miami River.
Just like a live studio performance, the game show stopped for short commercial breaks, which were videos produced by students from the high school’s multi media class.
To rev up the audience before the show, members also had an opportunity to ask a few of their own questions to those participating.
One student in the audience wanted to know how Kaeden keeps himself looking so young.
“I don’t know – I spike my hair,” he said.
The event was presented by students from the Maumee High School DECA program in coordination with Maumee City Schools and the Maumee Chamber of Commerce.
Wolcott House Decks The Halls With ‘Dickens Of A Christmas’
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
The Wolcott House is all dressed up for the holidays.
Celebrating author Charles Dickens, the Wolcott House has paid special tribute this season to his classic novel A Christmas Carol with holiday decorations typical of the early 1830s throughout the historic home.
“It’s a chance to step back in time,” said Barth Dubler, a museum volunteer. “Charles Dickens brought back the joy of Christmas.”
A Christmas tree in the front room is “crammed with everything and more,” explained Sandy Miller of the Wolcott House.
According to Miller, Charles Dickens came through this area; however, he wasn’t very fond of the tobacco habits common at the time.
“He traveled by stagecoach and didn’t like the way people spit tobacco juice all the time,” she laughed.
In honor of that displeasure, a special tobacco spittoon is decorated with greenery.
The Maumee Garden Club decorated the Victorian-style parlor, and a formal holiday place setting can be seen in the dining room.
Maumee Girl Scout Troop 348 decorated the basement in early American decor with handmade woven ornaments hung from the exposed ceiling beams and a large, simple tree cone decorated with greenery.
A large green wreath made by Margaret Wroblewski also hangs on a basement fireplace.
The exhibit A Dickens of a Christmas is on display through Thursday, December 20. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m., with tours offered at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Regular admission is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, $2.50 for students and free for members.
Living History Tour
An interactive living history tour featuring Dickens characters will be offered on Sunday, November 30.
Tea and Tours
The Wolcott House will hold its annual Tea and Tours on Saturday, December 6 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Discounted tour prices will be featured: $3.00 for adults, $2.50 for seniors and $1.00 for students. Tea will be offered for all visitors.
Museum Store
Those who love vintage items will also enjoy shopping at the museum store located adjacent to the Wolcott House.
“There are a lot of interesting things over there,” Dubler said. “It’s one of Maumee’s best kept secrets.”
Some unique items featured in the store include vintage children’s toys such as clay marbles, wooden pick-up sticks and origami.
Dickens ornaments may also be purchased in addition to handmade lace ornaments and cards, locally made maple syrup, handmade soaps, American Girl doll clothes, candles and local history books.
Store hours are noon to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
For more information, call (419) 893-9602.
These are sample articles that ran in The Mirror Newspaper.
To see what else you've been missing . . .
