Blissfield, Siena Heights ink scholarship program

11/23/2007

ADRIAN - Siena Heights University and Blissfield Community Schools have finalized a partnership that provides scholarships for high school students to attend the university.

Under the agreement, which was completed Monday, Blissfield students who meet Siena's admissions criteria will receive a guaranteed minimum of $5,000 in financial aid.

Blissfield graduates also are eligible for designated scholarships that range from $6,000 to $10,000.

During the course of the partnership, which lasts until Sept. 1, 2012, the university will make a financial commitment of $122,5000 for each entering class. Faculty and staff at both the university and Blissfield school district also will benefit from increased collaboration, officials said.

BLUFFTON, Ohio - An English professor at Bluffton University has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to teach in Austria.

Jeffrey G. Gundy will teach three courses in the American studies department at the University of Salzburg.

The courses include graduate and undergraduate literature seminars and an introductory North American civilization class.

Mr. Gundy is one of about 800 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright program, which promotes understanding between people in the United States and other countries.

ELMORE - Library patrons in Elmore will once again have the opportunity beginning Monday to pay their library fines with canned goods.

The Harris-Elmore Public Library's annual "Food for Fines" campaign allows patrons to donate canned goods in lieu of paying overdue fines, library Director Georgiana Huizenga said.

This year, the food items collected until Jan. 1 will be split between the Ottawa County Holiday Bureau and the Elmore Area Food Pantry.

Mrs. Huizenga said the annual charitable program is more than 15 years old and has become a place for those even without library fines to give to the needy during the holidays.

"I filled a minivan with bags full of food last year," Mrs. Huizenga said. "For a small community, I think that's pretty good."

For the second holiday season, Mobile Meals of Toledo will deliver food both to its clients and their pets.

The agency hopes to expand the program beyond the 50 people served last year.

"Sometimes our meal clients face financial difficulties during the holiday season, and now we can continue to help them with food for their pets," Carolyn Fox, associate executive director of Mobile Meals, said. "Oftentimes, their cat or dog is their best friend and steadfast companion."

The agency this summer received a $500 grant from the Meals on Wheels Association of America to continue the holiday pet program.

Through a partnership with Banfield, The Pet Hospital, the agency is seeking donations of cash and pet food, which may be made at the Banfield locations in PetSmart stores.

Mobile Meals delivers food to the elderly and people who are homebound or who have disabilities.

Sewer construction will close McCord Road just south of Dorr Street in Springfield Township for four weeks, starting Monday, the Lucas County Engineer's Office announced.

During the work, McCord traffic will be detoured via Holland-Sylvania Road between Dorr and Hill Avenue.

Access to driveways on McCord south of Dorr will be from Hill.