Renegade Rebellion Country Music Festival premiered at the West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells on Saturday, July 9th. The festival was originally scheduled for last September but was postponed due to the pandemic. The festival provided a full day jam-packed with stellar artists.

The West Virginia Motor Speedway is located at 2 Matheny Dr in Mineral Wells, WV, and was recently reopened after closing in 2013. New manager and promoter, Cody Watson, along with support from speedway owners, PM Company in Vienna, have breathed new life into the track after a several hundred thousand dollar renovation. WVMS is a ⅝ mile dirt racing facility located along the Ohio River and Interstate 77 in Mineral Wells, WV, and is known as “The World’s Fastest Dirt Track.” The track first opened in 1985 and the first race was held in May of that year. Since then the track has operated off and on. WVMS is currently sponsored by many local companies and organizations and offers additional sponsorship opportunities.

Local solo artist Jake Binegar kicked the festival off with a mixture of originals and covers. Binegar has been playing music locally for about 10 years now and has been featured on a number of fairs’ and festivals’ lineups.

Arlo McKinley from Cincinnati was up next, playing his emotional and earnest blend of music featuring some of his older hits like “Bag of Pills” and some soon-to-be hits like “Stealing The Dark from The Night Sky” from his newly released album “This Mess We’re In”.

Following Arlo were The Davisson Brothers, a frequently touring fixture in the local WV country scene who brought their A-game to keep the day rolling.

Next Seaforth, from Australia, lit up the crowd with their dancey, upbeat jams, including their single “Good Beer” and recently released song “Queen of Daytona Beach”.

Then Trey Lewis, hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, and fresh off a tour with Kid Rock, took the stage and brought the party. He played some of his hits and his new song “My Ex Came Over” which will be released on July 22nd. In between getting the crowd dancing, he took time to recount his personal struggles with sobriety with his heartfelt song written for his mother “Whatever She Sees in Me.”

Afterward, Lainey Wilson, ACM Awards New Female Artist and Song of the Year winner in 2022, took the stage. Wilson’s set was full of infectious energy, fun, and big-belting vocals. She played her hit “Things a Man Oughta Know” as the crowd joined in to sing and dance along with her. Aside from her music career, Wilson will be joining the cast of Paramount’s show “Yellowstone” in the upcoming season.

Closing out the night was country music legend Tracey Lawrence. Lawrence has been active in the country music scene for over three decades and has charted more than forty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including eight songs that reached the number one position: “Sticks and Stones,” “Alibis,” “Can’t Break It to My Heart,” “My Second Home,” “If the Good Die Young,” “Texas Tornado,” “Time Marches On,” and “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.”

Music from all the artists can be found on the festival’s Spotify playlist.

Several artists and event organizers wandered through the crowd greeting fans and guests when they weren’t busy on stage or on duty. Watson was seen upgrading a few lucky guests’ tickets to VIP or providing meet and greet opportunities between the performers and guests. The overall atmosphere of the festival was upbeat and joyful. Everyone in attendance just seemed genuinely happy to be there, from the entertainers to the guests to the staff themselves.

Guests could choose between General Admission for $85 or VIP for $199. They could also choose to camp for the night or the full weekend on the WVMS grounds.

The festival featured several food vendors and merchandise booths. Freshly cooked meals including fried chicken, ham, pulled pork, and a deliciously sweet peanut butter sheet cake were prepared by volunteers and available to VIP guests.

Watson is hoping to garner some more support from the Parkersburg/Mid Ohio Valley Community for future events at the speedway. The WVMS offers racing events about once a month. They offer concessions and provide a family-friendly and exciting environment with kids 10 and under receiving free admission to the race events. The WVMS is a cash-only facility. Next on their schedule is the Mark Balzano Memorial on August 6th which features hotrods, street stocks, sport mods, and $10k late models. General Admission tickets are $25 and pit tickets are $35. They are also offering on-site camping for this event for $20 per night. Their full schedule of upcoming events can be found on their website.

All photography by Michelle Waters Photo

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As they say in the forest, “free yourself of humduggery” and join the cast of Robin Hood at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players opening Friday June 17 at 7:00 pm. Your adventure includes a romp through Sherwood Forest, a night at the Blue Boar Tavern, and visits to the castle while you are immersed in the action as the cast uses the entire theater to bring this classic play to life. Directed by Amber Smrek with assistance from Angela Shrader and Sherri Knapp, the Players bring to life the adventures of a merry band of thieves under the direction of Robin Hood (or perhaps the beguiling Maid Marian) who steal from the rich and give to the poor all while thwarting the evil Sheriff.

But don’t let the idea of “classic” dissuade you from attending. This version of Robin Hood is hysterical with lots of biting sarcasm and action and even some drunken revelry.  Ms. Smrek and her team choreographed an abundance of fight scenes.  The cast fights with everything:  long swords, short swords, large sticks, swords in one hand, swords in both hands.  If they can fight with it, they do, with enthusiasm!

The best fighter of them all?  Maid Marian, brought to life by Players newcomer Erika Jennings.  New to the area but not new to community theater, Ms. Jennings’ Marian is a wise-cracking heroine who not only can wield a sword or two but she wins the guy in the end.  Playing Maid Marian “felt like destiny” and the perfect role to introduce her to the local theater scene.  You’ll enjoy watching Maid Marian as she not only wins the heart of Robin Hood but will also enchant the audience.

Each member of the cast has their shining moment, but a few stand out.  Friar Tuck, played by John Burns, is hysterical during one scene where he enjoys a little snack and conversation with himself.  George Faber, who portrays Much, brings his vocal and comedic talents to the stage as he sings his way through several scenes and is properly manhandled by Little John, played by equally funny Justin McKown.  Nicholas Rake, as minstrel Alan-a-Dale, brings a steady presence and quite a bit of musicality in each of his scenes.

Audience members will recognize many of the Players from their previous performances this year along with some new faces.  Ike Eastwood will make you boo out loud as the villainous Sheriff while Nathaniel Maciag shows a range of emotions as the evil Guy of Gisborne.  Making his debut performance on the main stage is 12-year-old Leon Elliott who plays one of the Merry Men.  Also new to the Players are Rebecca Maciag, Sam Bidwell, and Lindsey Dornon.

Robin Hood, sponsored by WesBanco, opens Friday, June 17 at 7:00 pm. Additional show times are June 24 and 25 at 7:00 pm and June 18 and 26 at 3:00 pm.  Tickets cost $13 and are available at midohiovalleyplayers.org or at the box office.

But let’s get back to the fighting.  There’s a lot of it! Word to the wise: don’t sit in the front two rows or you will literally end up in a sword fight.

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Parkersburg Pride is pleased to host their 4th annual family-friendly PrideFest in the area around the Band Shell at Parkersburg City Park on Saturday, June 11 from noon to 4:00 pm.  This event is an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate Pride Month, which has been observed since 1970.  

Jacob Collins, who performs as Lucy Lipps & serves as the VP of Parkersburg Pride (a 501c3 non-profit), said the group has been hard at work to bring this year’s PrideFest back. “Parkersburg Pride is committed to building community and providing the area with fun and inclusive events that allow residents of the MOV and beyond a chance to celebrate the beauty of diversity.”

The group is excited to offer live entertainment for the community, including Lipps! Miss Coco Vega and Miss Valerie Valentino will also be on stage, both of whom are performers in Las Vegas, with Miss Trista Storm of Morgantown, Miss Madison Monroe of Beckley, and Miss Morgan Lefay from Parkersburg. Musical acts will include Smokestack Betty, the cast of Shout presented by the Actor’s Guild, Ryann Province, and Jack Comeau.

Organizations & businesses from the area and around the state that align with the mission of Parkersburg Pride to nurture and sustain the LGBTQ+ community in a supportive, inclusive, and vibrant manner will be present to table, providing information as well as opportunities to purchase affirming apparel and more. While PrideFest continues to be a free event for all to enjoy, including lunch for those who need it, there will be food vendors on site offering snacks, lunch, and desserts.  

The group’s goal is to continually provide low or no-cost social and educational resources to the members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as their family, friends, and allies. They regularly hold free family-friendly, inclusive events like skating & arcade parties, as well as an annual HallowQueen masquerade, an annual OUTlandish Bingo fundraiser, and more.  

Sponsors include Highmark BCBS, The Deitzler Foundation, McCarter Health Center, Marathon, Truist, West Side Sign Co., The Flower Daddy, The Cocktail Bar, and more.

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Hello June first came onto the national scene in 2017 with their first EP, Spruce. From that EP, “Dance” was featured by NPR Music’s Heavy Rotation, putting Hello June into the airwaves of many across the United States. In 2018, Hello June was featured as an NPR Slingshot Artist, alongside Phoebe Bridgers, Snail Mail, Mt. Joy, Jade Bird, and 2017 Slingshot Artist, Big Thief. NPR Music premiered their leading single, “Mars,” and the band received glowing praise from both local and national press alike. Paste Magazine feverishly praised the band’s self-titled album, rating it an 8.5 out of 10 stars. To quote Paste Magazine, “Like The Cranberries and other heroes of sweeping ‘90s guitar rock, Hello June are adept at drawing maximum emotion from just a few simple riffs… Hello June respectfully recalls your favorite indie rock records, but it’s simultaneously fresh as can be.” 

Like their recorded material, Hello June has been praised for their live show as well. In 2019 at Americana Fest, they caught the attention of No Depression Magazine. “Sarah played the most intriguing guitar I heard all week…and that’s saying something for a town full of great guitarists.”

Currently, the band is finishing up their second full-length album in Nashville, Tennessee with Roger Alan Nichols (Belltone Recording).  They are set to release a single in 2022 – their first, in nearly 4 years.

This summer, Hello June’s schedule is full of shows in the Mid-Atlantic/SouthEast part of the United States. They will return to cities like Columbus (OH), Huntington (WV), Ashland (KY), and Marietta (OH) as well as visit new territory along the way. The band is excited to kick off the summer, beginning with their return to Marietta, Ohio at The Townhouse with Sockdolager and Roy F. Bush on June 11th, 2022. The band’s last Marietta show was at The Adelphia Music Hall with Angela Perley in 2019 for her album release, so they are eager to return. For more information, tickets, and links to Hello June’s social media, visit: https://www.wearehellojune.com/

Catch Hello June in the months of June or July in the following locations:           

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The Camp Hervida Board and its Planning Committee invite past, present, and future campers to come to Camp Hervida for an event designed to celebrate 100 years of camping tradition on this beautiful property located at 1260 Camp Hervida Road in Waterford, Ohio. The celebration takes place Saturday, July 2nd and Sunday, July 3rd. Most activities throughout the weekend are free for everyone to enjoy.

There is something for everyone. Some of the activities include: browsing through photos, crafts, guided hikes, guided creek walks, swimming, meals in the dining hall, an ice cream social, flag-raising/lowering, a vespers program, campfire, and camp dances! A full schedule is available on the website (camphervida.org). 

All events are free with the following exceptions:

• Saturday’s dinner at the dining hall catered by Cowboy Concessions features BBQ Chicken. Meals are $15 and must be reserved either on the website (camphervida.org) or by calling the OSU Extension Office (740-376-7431). Kids’ meals for those 8 and under are $5 per child and can be purchased as an add-on to a regular meal. Kids’ meals feature chicken nuggets prepared by the camp board. To reserve tickets for this catered meal, reservations must be made NO LATER THAN JUNE 18, 2022.
• SnoBiz Hawaiian shaved ice truck will be inside the camp gates on Saturday from 1:00-4:00 pm. They charge $3 for a small shaved ice, $5 for a large shaved ice, and $1 for creme topping. SnoBiz is donating 30% of profits back to Camp Hervida, so be sure to stay cool mid-day by supporting this small business and Camp Hervida!

Cabins can be rented Saturday night, July 2nd. This is a great option for those coming in from out-of-town, or for anyone who wants the full camp experience! Cabins will be rented to groups who submit a cabin rental form, and the renter must be at least age 25.  Cabins with 8-10 bunks rent for $75 for the night, and cabins with 12-14 bunks rent for $100. More information and rental forms are available on the website (https://www.camphervida.org/cabin-rental).

A presale is happening now which includes a variety of shirts, a tote bag, and a garden flag commemorating 100 years of Camp Hervida. Presale items can be purchased in the online clothing store (camphervida.spiritsale.com). Other memorabilia will be available exclusively at the event!

To volunteer for the event, email camphervida@gmail.com.

Please submit your camp photos and memories to prudenceknox@gmail.com, or mail handwritten memories to Prudence Burgardt at 270 Front St, Marietta, OH 45750. She will scan any photos and return them to you.

Bring your family and come and go as you please throughout the weekend. We hope you’ll spend the whole weekend at camp!

Hervida 4-H Camp is a full-service complex serving the needs of 4-H youth groups, school classes, band camps, cheerleading camps, church groups, clubs, families and area businesses. Camp Hervida is nestled along the banks of Wolf Creek approximately four miles south of Waterford, Ohio. Situated on more than 200 acres in the beautiful hills of northwestern Washington County, it is available from April through October for rentals

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The PAC 713 Market is excited to bring small venue performances to their space. On Saturday, June 11 the 2022 West Virginia Folk Artist of the Year is coming to the Parkersburg Art Center’s shop at 7:00 p.m. as part of his statewide storytelling tour. 

Join storyteller Adam Booth in concert as he presents historical West Virginia tales featuring Tony Beaver, our native son lumberjack in a program called The Tall Tales of Tony Beaver! The program is free and open to the public. 

Adam says, “The stories are suitable for a general audience (ages mid-elementary school through late adulthood), so bring the family and friends.  On this tour I will be sharing old, rarely heard West Virginia tall tales about our giant lumberjack.”

Adam is touring the state on this tour making stops in Parkersburg, Huntington, Wheeling, Grafton, Fairmont and Capon Bridge. This program is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.

You can find out more about Adam by visiting www.adam-booth.com or following him on Instagram.

“We are excited to bring live performances to our new shop space,”  says Jennifer Carpenter, Gift Shop Manager. “We use the rear of the shop for some of our art classes and last month we featured a young singer/songwriter, Ryann Renae.  The space worked really well for an audience of about 50 people.” 

“When we started planning for the renovation of 713 Market Street, we knew that we wanted it to be the Art Center’s gift shop but we also knew that we needed part of it to remain a multi-purpose space,” says Jessie Siefert, Managing Director of the Parkersburg Art Center.  “Hosting small performances is just what we had in mind!”

The PAC 713 Market is the Parkersburg Art Center’s gift shop featuring all regionally made fine art and artful gifts and is located beside the Parkersburg Art Center.

There is free parking on the street or in the Art Center’s lots along 8th Street between Market and Juliana Streets. For more information call 304-485-3859 or visit the website.

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The Marietta City Schools’ Board of Education is in the process of recruiting a new superintendent and has scheduled Focus Group Sessions on June 3, June 7, and June 17 to facilitate discussion with staff and community members.

In each half-hour session, the Ohio School Boards Associaton (OSBA) consultant will record feedback concerning the following three topics:

• Major issues facing the district for the next three to five years;
• Performance expectations for the next superintendent;
• Personal and professional qualities to be sought in the next superintendent.

“Our goal is to increase the accessibility of these input sessions and allow for the public and our staff to share openly and honestly,” shares Board Vice President Sam Tuten. “By bringing each of these groups into the room, we can create a holistic picture of what Marietta seeks in the next leader for Marietta City Schools to make an informed selection.”

The board has designated four times each day for staff-only input and the same amount of time for community-driven input.

Friday, June 3 | 5 p.m. 

Board Vice President Sam Tuten and Board Member Cody Parman will host a survey station on the Armory Lawn, 241 Front Street, during Marietta Main Street’s First Friday festivities downtown.

The anonymous survey is hosted by the board’s partner in the superintendent search, the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA), for all district families, staff, and community partners to share the specific experiences and leadership skills the Marietta community needs in the next leader of the school district.

Tuten and Parman will provide devices to take the survey on the lawn, and business cards with both a QR code and links to take home to neighbors and community members. The survey will remain open online through June 10, with the results aggregated by OSBA and reported to the Board of Education after the application window closes on June 17. Click here to access the survey.

Tuesday, June 7 | 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Both staff and community members are invited to the first of two days of focus group discussions facilitated by OSBA. The board has designated four times each day for staff-only input and the same amount of time for community-driven input. The session will be hosted in the Marietta High School Cafeteria, 115 Academy Drive.

Friday, June 17 | 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The OSBA representative will host the second session of discussions at the Marietta College Gathering Place, located at the corner of Butler Street and North Seventh Street. Parking and ADA accessibility are available next to the college building across from Tim Horton’s. This session will be hosted at 127 North Seventh Street.

Community sessions

Both formally signed partners in education and elected officials, business, ministerial and civic partners are invited to the midday session at 12:30 p.m. Students of Marietta City Schools are invited to join the conversation at 3:45 p.m. on either June 7 or June 17.

Parent-teacher organizations and booster groups are asked to attend with athletics staff at 5:30 p.m. on either date. And members of the public as a whole are invited to the final sessions each night at 6:30 p.m.

​Superintendent Search

The board launched its search for a new superintendent on May 16 in partnership with the OSBA. The board hopes to name Marietta City Schools’ next superintendent in July, allowing for a smooth transition into the 2022-23 school year.​

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Clutch Collective, an art retail shop located in downtown Marietta, announces the opening of its first solo exhibit featuring Marietta artist Joe Ryckebosch. A reception will be held on Thursday, June 2nd from 5:00 to 7:00 pm to celebrate the exhibit’s opening.

The exhibit is called “Altered Images” and features dozens of Ryckebosch’s original mixed-media works. “This work is a collection of found imagery, wherein graphic art tape and assorted mixed media have been used to redirect the original intention of the piece,” said Ryckebosch.

“The original imagery, which looks and feels so familiar, quickly takes on a direction of its own. The lines and patterns create an alternate reality, and the viewer hopefully recognizes that all is not what it appears to be,” he said, of the collection. “The intention with this work is to provoke a sense of wonderment and curiosity.”

The exhibit is located in the shop’s second room, which will be opened for the first time on Thursday, June 2nd. The space also features an expanded retail space where guests can shop original artwork and art prints from dozens of artists, both from the Mid-Ohio Valley and beyond.

“We are excited to feature Joe’s work as our first solo exhibit,” said Clutch Collective owner, Sarah Arnold. “There are many new pieces in this collection that have never been displayed before now. We’ve admired Joe’s pieces and style for many years and are looking forward to sharing this exhibit with the community!”

The exhibit will be on display through the end of August, and all pieces on display will be available for purchase. The opening reception on June 2nd is open to the public, the community is invited to see the show, meet the artist, and enjoy light refreshments.

Clutch Collective is an art retail shop located in downtown Marietta celebrating culture, community, and creativity in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Open since November 2021, the shop is open seven days a week at 152 Front Street. Learn more at www.clutchcollectivemov.com.

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Jimmy Carrano, the owner of Jimmy Avocado’s, has been cooking for pretty much his entire life. When he was growing up, his father ran restaurants and he would go in and do prep work with him for extra money. He began regularly working in restaurants as a teenager and completed culinary school in his twenties. He’s worked as both a private chef and a corporate chef but says running his own restaurant is more about passion. “I enjoy what I do. To quote the movie Chef: There are people who cook food they believe in,” he said. He has a lot of Hispanic influence in what he cooks because of the nature of kitchens and the people that are typically employed in them with whom he’s interacted.

Carrano started the food truck in the early part of 2021 and added the Marietta location in March of this year, at 212 Third Street. The Marietta restaurant has been a popular choice among the local community with them having been nominated for the Marietta Times Readers Choice Awards after being open for less than a year. The eatery is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and Tuesdays from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. They’re adding a second location inside the food court at the Grand Central Mall that will hopefully be open in June. Starting soon, the food truck will be at Point Park every Wednesday evening during the free yoga at the point classes.

Jimmy Avocado’s offers a wide variety of flavorful menu options, including vegetarian and a true vegan menu with soy-based chorizo, tofu tacos, and plant-based cheese. All of their food is made from scratch with the exception of the tortillas and chips because they sell too many of them to have the time to make them themselves. They get some of their ingredients from local produce shops and a couple of the local meat markets. Carrano said his personal favorite dish they serve is the pork carnitas tacos, a soft corn shell filled with slow-roasted carnitas marinated in orange citrus zest, chipotle sauce, pickled red onions, and pineapple. “That citrus meeting with that caramelization pork gets when it’s slow-roasted in the oven is just awesome. I feel like you get a lot of the flavors you’d get from pork belly without that crispness of pork belly,” he described.

I just wanted to be able to give people good food and create an atmosphere that people wanted to work at and not feel like they were trapped into working there.

They currently have 12 employees, excluding Carrano himself. He does his best to treat his employees right by providing pay over minimum wage, offering full-time schedules to those that want them, and eventually, he wants to transition all of his employees to a four-day workweek to give them more time to live their lives. Their life outside of work is equally important to him. Some of the people working for him have been friends of his for years. “I just wanted to be able to give people good food and create an atmosphere that people wanted to work at and not feel like they were trapped into working there. There’s that whole cliche of we’re a family, not a team, but I really feel like we’re a family. I want to make a million dollars, but if that takes me a few extra years and I take care of my people, that’s how I want it to be,” he stated.

When you walk into the Marietta location you’re greeted with Mexican music and an inviting atmosphere. The restaurant theme is modeled after restaurants he visited in Mexico that are made to be almost like walking into someone’s home. The art on the walls is a combination of gifts from Carrano’s children and friends and local artists. The art done by local artists is for sale and the artists receive all the profit from the sales. Avocado plushies made by the Wood County Society and the Artbeat Studio are also available for purchase and the profits all go back to those organizations. They also sell cookies from Big Tom’s Cookies and fresh-made marshmallows from Tezze Delicacies and Treats. The Grand Central Mall location will feature an exclusive Chipotle chocolate chip cookie from Big Tom’s Cookies.

Carrano believes community is an important part of running a local business. He encourages people to hang flyers for local events. Eventually, he wants to put a board up in the restaurant to advertise other local small restaurants. “There are so many different types of businesses that help market each other and restaurants don’t do it because I feel like they always feel like it’s a competition. But at the end of the day, if somebody comes in here, they’re coming in for tacos. They’re not coming in here for pizza. They’re not coming in here for a burger. They’re not coming in here for anything like that, you know?”

Carrano said there are so many different varieties of food around town. “Tel Aviv that has the Greek style food and Lebanese style cuisine, you’ve got Star of India that has Indian style food, and there are several bars around here that while they might have some things that clash, they offer a really good gastropub menu,” he said. “The Busy Bee offers pretty much brunch all the time. You’ve got your higher-end places, the Levee House Bistro, Benny & Babe at the Buckley, all those places. I feel like they would respect me saying, ‘Hey, if you don’t like tacos, why don’t you check out all these other great local restaurants as opposed to going to Applebee’s or somewhere like that?’ It’s the character and it just helps to build the local community,” he explained.

Carrano really wants to help spark the movement of making the area better and helping to be part of the solution. He wanted to create something bigger than himself with this business. “The best part of this has been the sense of accomplishment. I’m a dreamer to a tee and I have a new one every 47 minutes, so on a personal level, it’s finally following through with something,” he said. “On a bigger level, it’s realizing it’s not just a taco truck now, it’s a feasible future business that can change all the things I want to change. I’m never going to be Elon Musk level able to change things, but I could be Parkersburg, Marietta, Mid-Ohio Valley level and that’s kind of what I’m shooting for. Every day I feel like I’m a little bit closer.”

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On May 19, a gathering of generous women produced great results for the community. As members of the Women’s Giving Circle came together to catch up with friends and boost their awareness of local issues, they invested in the initiatives of three local nonprofits.

A companion group of Marietta Community Foundation, the Women’s Giving Circle encompasses local women passionate about improving their community. By engaging in participatory philanthropy, group members can pool their financial support with other community-minded women to create a large impact.

Prior to this biannual gathering, members were invited to submit proposals for nonprofit organizations they felt embodied the Women’s Giving Circle mission. The group then heard from the leaders of three nonprofits — Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, Gospel Mission Food Pantry, and Kiwanis Club of Marietta Ohio. Each leader had the opportunity to explain their cause and answer any questions.

Each of the nonprofits received support from the group. Gospel Mission Food Pantry will receive $4,000 to purchase and distribute baby formula, Kiwanis Club of Marietta Ohio will receive $2,000 toward their service projects, and Boys and Girls Club of Washington County will receive $1,000 in operational support.

Since its creation in 2016, the group has donated more than $43,000 to local nonprofits benefitting women and children. Nearly 50 women are currently involved, including Rosanne Buell, a multi-year member.

“I’ve been a member of the Women’s Giving Circle going on three years,” Buell said. “It’s a wonderful group of women from all walks of life coming together for a great cause. I’m proud to be a member of this organization.”

The Women’s Giving Circle will host its next event this fall. If you are a female philanthropist who wants to make a difference and empower local women and children, contact Heather Allender for information on joining the Women’s Giving Circle at heather@mcfohio.org or 740-373-3286.

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