The Ross County Republican Women have established a $500 scholarship for a graduating senior from a Ross County school. The scholarship is named in memory of educator Martha Corker. Applications are available now from your high school guidance counselor and must be returned postmarked no later than April 7th. 

The Elm Grove Youth League will hold baseball and softball sign-ups for kids 5-12 years old on Saturday, February 25th, and March 3rd. Registration is $40 and will run from 10am to 12pm at the Elm-Grove Little League Field on Chenoweth Fork Road in Piketon. For more information, call Dean Blakeman at 289-1073.

The Business Development Program of the Community Action Committee of Pike County, the Pike County Career Technology Center and the OSU Small Business Development Center are offering an all-day: Microsoft Office Access 2007 Level 1 Training Workshop on Wednesday, March 21st, from 8:30 am until 4:30pm, at the OSU Endeavor Center in Piketon. This is a hands-on course that teaches participants how to design and create new databases, tables, and relationships; create and maintain records; locate records; and produce reports based on the information in the database. The deadline for registrations is Wednesday, March 14th.

For more information and to obtain a registration form, please call 740-289-2371 or toll free at 1-866-820-1185. Seats are limited.

Westfall Elementary is holding its 7th Annual Spring Carnival on Saturday, March 31st, from 12pm to 5pm. There will be bounce houses, games, cake walk, face painting, crafts, and prizes for the kids. Tickets are 25 cents each or 5 for $1. There will also be a clown contest, a Chinese-style auction (sales end at 3:45pm; drawing starts at 4pm), craft vendors, lunch, and musical entertainment. Funds raised will help support PTO activities for the students.

If you want to eat better, feel better, live better and lose weight, explore The Full Plate Diet, beginning March 8 at 6:30pmat the Ross County YMCA, 100 Mill Street, in Chillicothe. Using a facilitated support group approach, The Full Plate Diet moves you progressively from the typical American diet of 15-20 grams of fiber per day to the optimal 40+ grams of daily fiber by adding fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans to your plate.  Facilitators, Trish Tickle and Diana Wildermuth, who worked with The Full Plate Diet development team, show how to make this work for you and share yummy high fiber recipes throughout the eight week course. Pre-registration is required. There is materials cost of $40 each or $60 per couple. For more information or to pre-register by March 1^st, contact Trish Tickle at 740.656.1658 or trishtickle@gmail.com.

The International Trade Assistance Center (ITAC) is introducing the International Trade Breakfast Seminar Series. The first seminar in the series is “Exploring Exporting.” It will provide you with an overview of exporting goods and services internationally as well as showcasing the new IMAGE Grant (Ohio International Market Access Grant for Exporters). Additional information and resources will also be available to address your exporting needs. The “Exploring Exporting” Seminar will be held on Tuesday, March 13 from 9am to 10:30am at The Ohio State University South Centers Endeavor Center at 1862 Shyville Road in Piketon. A $10 fee will be charged to reserve a spot at the seminar, which includes breakfast.

This International Trade Breakfast Seminar Series has been developed by the ITAC at the OSU South Centers. The ITAC is a new addition to the Business Development Network and available to conduct market research and logistics, review export financing and education, and promote global business development. All business industries can participate in exporting. Other upcoming topics for the Breakfast Seminar Series will include: logistics, export financing, and trade initiatives.

To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Kelly O’Bryant at 740-289-2071 Ext. 235 or obryant.6@osu.edu.

The CHS band will be having a Chicken Noodle Dinner on Tuesday, February 28th, from 4:30 - 7pm. The event will be held in the CHS cafeteria on Yoctangee Pkwy. This event will benefit the CHS band Scholarship Program.

Goodwill Industries would like to remind everyone that March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Please check out the events planned by The Pioneer Center by visiting www.rossmrdd.org

The Jobs One-Stop will host a Job Expo March 22nd at Ohio University-Chillicothe Shoemaker Center, which will see employers and colleges setting up booths from noon-4pm that day. Individuals from Ross, Pickaway, Fairfield, Vinton and Hocking counties are encouraged to attend.

Trinity United Methodist Church hosts their annual "Waffle Day" Thursday, March 8th at 80 East Main Street in Chillicothe. Lunch will be from 11am-2pm and dinner 4pm-6:30pm. Tickets are available from the Trinity Men or at the door the day of the event.

Farmers, agribusinesses and others in the industry located in south central Ohio have the opportunity to learn more about ag markets, economics and policy at an Ohio State University 2012 Farm Outlook meeting.  The program hosted by Ohio State University Extension Pickaway and Ross Counties will feature presentations from Ohio State’s Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics. Topics covered will include grain markets, farm inputs, and land values. The program will be held on February 28th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Maxwell Leadership Center on the campus of Ohio Christian University. Pre-registration is $25.00 per person and includes a buffet meal. The program will feature presentations by Barry Ward, OSU Extension agricultural economist, discussing Why Farmland Values Will Never Fall and 2012 Crop Inputs; Dr. Matt Roberts will give attendees a look forward to grain stocks and grain prices for the 2012 marketing year. Registration deadline is Friday, February 24th. For more information on the meeting, contact OSU Extension Pickaway County at (740)474-7534, estadt.3@cfaes.osu.edu@osu.edu, or log on to http://pickaway.osu.edu/

Chillicothe's premiere Cat adoption Center has Cats and Kittens of all ages.Call for information. Call (740) 649-0290 and ask about their Pets for Vets and Seniors programs.

The Chillicothe Parks and Recreation Department will hold the Annual Youth Trout Fishing Derby on Saturday, March 24, from 8am-11am. The ODNR, Division of Wildlife, will release Trout in Yoctangee Lake on Friday, March 23.  Fishing for the general public will not be permitted until after the derby. The Fishing Derby is for children ages 5 – 15.  The 5 fish bag limit will be enforced.  Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Pre-registration is not required. Check-in at the Big Lions shelter prior to the start of the tournament. For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation office at 772-5626. This is a free program.

Come and see the Word of Our Lord illustrated every Wednesday evening at 7pm beginning February 29 and ending Wednesday March 28. Steve Maybriar will be doing chalk drawing of the scriptures used for the homilies. Calvary Lutheran Church, 74 West Main Street, Chillicothe invites you to attend, to hear the word, and see the word come to life through drawings.

The movie "Courageous" will be shown at the Community United Methodist Church at 8585 State Route 180 on Wednesday, February 29 at 6:30pm. This event is free and open to the public.  Refreshments will also be available. 

Lost Tribe Motorcycle Club will host a St. Patrick's Day Celebration March 17th, starting at 6pm. The club is located at 601 North High Street in Chillicothe. Entertainment will be provided by Bill Mace. Call 703-1328 for more information.

The Business Development Program of the Community Action Committee of Pike County, the Pike County Career Technology Center, and the OSU Small Business Development Center have scheduled classes for starting your own business.  “Self-Employment:  From Dream to Reality!” will begin Tuesday, April 10th, and will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 4pm, through Thursday, May 10th, at the Pike County Career Technology Center, 175 Beaver Creek Road, Piketon.  For more information and/or to obtain a registration form, call 740-289-2371 or toll free at 1-866-820-1185.  Registration deadline is April 3rd, 2012.

Pleasant Hill Manor Relay For Life is holding an Easter Bunny Breakfast fundraiser at Pleasant Hill Manor on Saturday, March 31st. From 9am to 11am, a pancakes and sausage breakfast will be available. There will also be a photo op with the Easter Bunny, a coloring contest, an Easter basket raffle, and bake sale. All proceeds will benefit Relay for Life.

All Proceeds to Benefit Relay For Life. Pleasant Hill Manor is located at 7143 US 23 in Piketon.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of South Central Ohio conducts their annual Bowl for Kids Sake fundraisers in April. Chillicothe's Shawnee Lanes will host their annual event on April 1st, Pickaway County April 15th, Washington CH April 22nd, Hillsboro and Portsmouth both on April 29th. For more information, call BBBS at (740) 773-2447.

The Deer Creek Chapter of Pheasants Forever covering Ross, Pickaway and Fayette counties will have their 16th annual banquet March 10th at the AMVETS Hall at 818 Tarlton Road Circleville. Doors open at 5:30pm and dinner at 7pm. For tickets, call 477-8356 or 703-8727. All money raised will be used i the three county area.

Preschool storytime for ages 3-5 years is available at 1:30pm each Thursday through April 12th at the Northside Branch Library at 550 Buckeye Street in Chillicothe. The Main Library on South Paint Street has storytime at 10:15am Wednesday's through April 11th. No registration is needed. 

Chillicothe residents are invited to visit their Chillicothe IHOP restaurant between the hours of 7am and 10pm on Tuesday, February 28th and enjoy one free short stack of (three) IHOP pancakes. The Chillicothe restaurant, owned by Womack Restaurants, will bring awareness and collect donations for Elizabeth’s Hope Pregnancy Resources as part of the company's philanthropic National Pancake Day held annually.

The Business Development Program of the Community Action Committee of Pike County, Pike County Career Technology Center and the OSU Small Business Development Center are offering a one-day QuickBooks 2010 Advanced Workshop on Wednesday, March 7th, 2012, from 8:30 to 4:30pm at the OSU Endeavor Center, 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, Ohio. The workshop is designed to teach participants how to create an estimate for a job and then convert it into an invoice, record business assets and liabilities, process sales tax, create and work with reports, process payroll manually, check the accuracy of accounting data, and integrate other applications with QuickBooks. The deadline for registrations is Wednesday, February 29, 2012.

For more information and to obtain a registration form, contact 740-289-2371 or toll free at 1-866-820-1185.

Cause for Paws, an area non-profit, no-kill animal rescue organization, needs your help to continue their mission to care for and find forever homes for abandoned and homeless dogs and cats.  CFP is now registered with GoodSearch.com, a company that helps non-profit organizations raise funds through the everyday actions of their supporters – and here’s how you can help: 
Use Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com when you search the internet – they will donate a penny to CFP every time you do.
Use GoodShop.com when you shop online – they work with more than 2,500 major brands, have over 100,000 coupons and donate a percentage of every purchase you make to CFP.
Enroll in GoodDining.com and they will donate up to 6% of every dollar you spend when you eat at one of 10,000 participating restaurants.

Please join the Cause for Paws community on GoodSearch.com and help raise money to support their rescue efforts across Southern and Central Ohio. It’s easy to get started – just click on this link:  http://www.goodsearch.com/

Where prompted to Enter Your Favorite Charity or School, type in CAUSE FOR PAWS ANIMAL RESCUE, then click to Get Started.  That’s all there is to it!  Every internet search you do will earn money for Cause for Paws!

Special needs people wanting to be involved in athletics have a great avenue in Ross County through Special Olympics. 250,000 Special Olympcs athletes are involved in Ohio each year. To inquire about how to get your special needs loved one involved- or to volunteer, call the Dillows at 253-4613 or 649-9667.

A fund has been established for a local family injured in a January 15th traffic accident in Chillicothe. The Claytor Family Recovery Fund has been set up at the Ross County Banking Center.

Ross County Special Olympics is hosting a Car Show fundraiser on May 6th in Chillicothe's Yoctangee Park. The entry fee is $10 and can be paid at the event, which runs from 10am-4pm. For more information, call Jeri & Richard Dillow at either 253-4613 or 649-9667.

The Hope Clinic is open every Monday from 6-8pm in the Ross County Service Center at 475 Western Avenue. This is a first come, first served, free clinic for adults and children who have no form of health insurance (Medicare and Medicaid are forms of health insurance). For more information, log onto: www.hopeclinicfree.org

Bishop Flaget School is accepting applications for PreKindergarten for the 2011-2013 school year. PreK classes are held every day of the school year from 8am-11am, and the students are integrated into the school culture by participating in most school activities. For more information on this unique activity, please contact Mrs. Laura Corcoran at 740-253-0433.

Vicki Foster a life long resident of Piketon has been placed under the care of hospice after a seven year battle with cancer. Members of the community have put together a benefit called "Celebrating a Life" in honor of Vicki Foster. The event will take place on Saturday March 3, from 11am-3pm at the Piketon High School. This event will include Food, live music and auction. For more information or to make a donation please contact Tracey Lamerson @ (740) 222-1424. All proceeds will go to her husband Phil Foster to cover mediacal expenses

If you or someone you know is an AEP customer and is income eligible, you may be able to have your refrigerator or freezer replaced free of charge. Ross County Community Action is partnering with The American Electric Power Company to deliver this service to the residents of Ross County. For more information and to see if you are eligible, please contact Community Action at (740) 702-7222 ext. 104.  

A Free Hot Meal, Free Clothing and Free Food will be given away on Sat. Feb, 18 11am to 1pm at the Frankfort United Methodist Church in Frankfort Ohio any questions call 998 2639.

Ross County Special Olympics will have a Chinese Auction fundraiser from 2pm-8pm Saturday, February 25th. It will be held at the YMCA at 100 Mill Street in Chillicothe. All proceeds go to the Ross County Public Special Olympics. For more information, call 253-4613 or 649-9667.

Bishop Flaget will hold its Annual Lenten Fish Fry beginning on February 24th and running each Friday through March 30th. The fish fry will run from 4pm-7pm at the St. Mary's Family Life Center, 40 East 4th Street, Chillicothe. Takeouts are available.

Ross Soil & Water Conservation are taking orders for tree seedlings.    
PACKET A….. 25 White Pine @$8.00 per pkt
PACKET B……10 Norway Spruce @ $8.00 per pkt      
PACKET C …… 6 Flowering @$8.00 per pkt (2)  Red Bud, (2)  Flowering Dogwood, (2)  Red Plum
PACKET D…….6 Hardwood @$8.00 per pkt (2) Sugar Maple, (2) Red Oak, (2) Shagbark Hickory.

To place an order, stop by the Conservation Office, mail to Ross SWCD at 475 Western Avenue, Chillicothe, or log onto rosscountyswcd.org.
For more information, call 740.772.4110. The last day to order is March 28th, 2012, or until seedling are sold out.

The Chillicothe Bikers Church at 155 South Watt Street is offering free food, drinks, music, children's ministry, games, and open fellowship every Sunday. Service times are as follows: Sunday School @ 9:30am, Praise and Worship Service @ 10:30am; and Bible Study Wednesday and Sundays at 6:30pm.

Every donation to Goodwill Industries of South Central Ohio is tax deductible. No donation is too big or small, from clothing and household items to vehicles and residential or commercial property. If you have questions about a donation, call (740) 702-4000.