Sparkling Gems of February

It’s the third weekend in February, 2020, a month that often feels like the longest in the year rather than the shortest. While there is snow on the ground as I write this week, we haven’t had to use our snowblower at all this year (so far, so good – hopefully the groundhog and I don’t jinx us). I must admit that when I see photos of retired TG editor Ted Daniels walking a Florida beach in sandals, shorts and shades, I whisper to myself the biblical admonition against envy. I think all Buckeye state residents breathe a collective sigh of relief when the sun appears in the sky in February.

Yet even though February attempts to inflict a stupor of sorts on Ohio, there is much happening that brings a real sense of warmth to my soul during these days. First, our own Division II athletic program at Ashland University is amazing. Women’s basketball is undefeated, and after a rocky start, the men’s team has been entertaining and racking up a good number of W’s. Indoor track and field is on a roll, and bats have been swinging in preparation for the season openers, with a baseball doubleheader today, and a four-game weekend for softball at an Illinois dome. Go Eagles!

On Valentine’s Day, a local ministry gathered at the university to be encouraged in well-doing. ACCESS (Ashland Church Community Emergency Shelter Services) is proof that love for our fellow human beings isn’t limited to chocolate and roses on the 14^thday of February. Under the radar, every day of the year, ACCESS quietly moves throughout Ashland County to meet the needs of woman and families who are without adequate shelter. 

That same night, just a few blocks away, the stars were twinkling at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, as the KC Big Band played their hearts out in three hours of love songs. Yes, I am biased about this group, as I am what Major Billy Francis calls the matriarch of the Kroc, but I am glad in my spirit when immersed in the music of the big band. 

I especially love the back stories the band has gathered over the years. Two especially resonate for me. The previous weekend, the Kroc held a Father-Daughter dance, which was a super-fun event for many dads and their girls. Yet for those whose fathers are not involved in their lives, there was a sense of exclusion, something that concerned Major Annalise Francis and other staff members. So on Valentine’s Day, moms and their daughters were welcomed, joyfully dancing the night away! 

Here’s another favorite back story. Because of Kroc music coordinator Neil Ebert’s long association with young people through the Ashland City Schools, he’s offered space for budding talent in the Kroc’s music groups, even in the Big Band. Friday night, a young man with a crisp red shirt and black tie took up his sticks behind the drum set for two numbers. I first met Jacob Slade in the old Salvation Army building on East Third Street, as he rested in his stroller. Now, twelve years later, this vibrant group of jazz musicians has made room for a gifted rookie. Go Jacob!

Watching Jacob in action, I remembered playing bassoon in the Ken-Ton Symphony Orchestra as a teen-ager. My junior high band instructor transported me to and from rehearsal, and while the music was challenging (especially the pieces in tenor clef), the encouragement was enriching, allowing me to meet the future challenges of life with confidence. Glad to see so many Ashland doors open to a new generation.

Roald Dahl wrote, “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.” Once again, the hidden gems of Ashland are sparkling, even in the dreary days of February. They’re visible at AU and in schools across the county, in the faithfulness of ACCESS and the caring actions of local ministries, and in the music and intergenerational relationships at the Kroc Center. Thanks, February, for these priceless reminders of light and life. I promise I won’t complain about you anymore.