In the News: Busy event planned for annual Gateway
NEWCOMERSTOWN — The annual Gateway to Fall Festival will have a busy two days of events, including plenty of music, food trucks, a pulled pork dinner, swimming, a beer/wine garden and more, Aug. 19-20 at Cy Young Park.
The event is sponsored by the Thomas R. Little Community Fund, named for the late Atty. Thomas R. Little. Atty. Little was very active in projects that benefitted the Newcomerstown community and the Foundation was created to continue his work.
The schedule for Friday, Aug. 19, includes the pork dinner (pre-sale only) from 5-7 p.m., the Chestnut Hill Band from 5-7 p.m. and The Moonlyterz from 7-10 p.m. The beer and wine garden will be open from 7-10 p.m.
Vendors and food trucks will open at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. Other events on the day include pottery and glass blowing demonstrations at 11 a.m.; Chinese auction, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; corn hole tournament, 5 p.m.; Deal or No Deal, 5:15 p.m.
The beer/wine garden will be open 7-10 p.m. and music will include Rolandos from 1-4 p.m. and the Will Rockwell Band from 7-10 p.m.
Greg Lashutka will be a speaker at the Gateway to Fall Festival at 1 p.m. Aug. 20. Lashutka played for Woody Haye’s Ohio State Buckeyes from 1963-1965, serving as the co-captain with Ike Kelley in 1965. In 1966, he was drafted and played for the Buffalo Bills when they were a member of the American Football league. He then returned to Ohio State University to finish his bachelor’s degree in History. Lashutka continued his education receiving a Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School. He served two terms as Columbus City Attorney and then became a law partner with Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey. He was elected Mayor of Columbus in 1991 and re-elected in 1995. He was head spokesperson of the effort to support to finance a hockey arena for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently serves as the vice chair for Franklin University, and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. He is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.
Lashutka will speak at the Newcomerstown High School gym at 1 p.m. Admission is $5. All proceeds go to the Thomas R. Little Foundation for student scholarships, community grants, and funding to help service organizations in Newcomerstown.
The Gateway to Fall Festival will also have a “River Duck Derby” on Saturday morning, Aug. 20.
At approximately 11 a.m., hundreds of yellow rubber ducks will splash into the Tuscarawas River and race on the current to the finish line at the River Street bridge at the Heller-Simonds Park. All of the ducks are up for adoption and will display a unique adoption identification number on his underside. Prizes will be awarded on the Gateway to Fall Festival stage at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. Winners need not be present.
Sponsors are also being sought for the event. Sponsors will have names attached to flyers, banners, social media, radio and more. Sponsor levels can be found on the Gateway to Fall Festival Facebook page. To become a sponsor, mail a check to the Thomas R. Little Community Fund, 774 Cross Street, Newcomerstown, OH 43832; or use the Foundation’s PayPal or Venmo accounts.
No free lunch
While all students in the Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District are eligible for a free breakfast on school days this year, free lunches are no longer available at the West Elementary, Middle School or High School because of changes from the USDA, unless families fill out a free/reduced meal application form.
Families are encouraged to fill out an application within the first 30 days of school. After 30 days, any student who hasn’t turned in an application will automatically become full pay. Lunch will cost $2.90 for full pay and 40 cents for reduced pay. Applications are available online at payschoolscentral.com. For assistance in registering, contact the school buildings.
School notes
Open houses at schools in the Newcomerstown Exempted Village School District are scheduled.
East School: Aug. 15, kindergarten from 5:30-6:15 p.m. and first grade from 6:15-7 p.m.
West School: Aug. 15, grades 2-5 from 6-7 p.m. and preschool on Aug. 22 from 3:15-5 p.m.
Middle School: Aug. 16 for sixth grade and new students, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
High School: Aug. 16, orientation for ninth grade and new students at 6 p.m. and open house, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
First day of school will be Aug. 17 for kindergarten students with last names beginning A-J; Aug. 18 for kindergarten students with last names beginning K-Z; Aug. 17 for all students 1-12 grades (freshmen to report at 7:45 a.m.; grades 10-12 at 9:45 a.m.).
Prayer Walk
Christ United Methodist Church is initiating a prayer walk at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14, on behalf of the Newcomerstown schools. All area residents are invited to take part.
Participants should meet in the larger parking lot at Newcomerstown High School on the east side of the building. Those unable to walk are encouraged to drive. Participants will walk to each school building and pray for staff, students and families as they begin a new school year.
Barbecue, car show
The Plainfield United Methodist Church, 101 Church St., Plainfield, will hold its annual carry-out chicken barbecue and “Shades of the Past Car Show” on Saturday, Aug. 27.
Car show registration is $10 per car and will begin at 3 p.m. The car show starts at 5 p.m. with awards at 7 p.m.
Serving begins at 4:30 p.m. with one-half chicken, potato salad, roll, brownie and beverage for $12. All dinners will be served as carry-out at the back of the church; there is no inside dining.
Free movie
Christ United Methodist Church, 648 Oak St., Newcomerstown, will have a free family movie night from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14, in the River of Life Community Center.
Popcorn and drinks will be provided for the animated kids film about Joseph.
Band apparel sale
The Newcomerstown Trojan Music Boosters are offering apparel in support of the band.
There are three design options on the following types of apparel: T-shirts, $20; long sleeve t-shirts, $25; crewneck sweatshirt, $30; or hoodie, $35. Sizes range from extra small to extra large for youths; and small to 5-XL for adults.
For the form or for more information, see the Newcomerstown Music Boosters Facebook page.
Seasonal pool closing
The pool at Cy Young Park will close for the season on Saturday, Aug. 20.
The pool will be closed for pool parties beginning Aug. 14. The pool will be open from 4-9 p.m. on Aug. 15-19.
For more information, visit the Cy Young Pool Facebook page.
Poker Run
Newcomerstown will host its first “Iron Man/Iron Maiden River Poker Run” on Saturday, Aug. 20, on the Tuscarawas River.
Participants must register at www.newcomerstownoh.com/PokerRun. The cost is $25 per poker hand. The best five hands will win cash prizes of $150 for first, $100 for second, $75 for third, $50 for fourth and $25 for fifth.
Boaters will pick up chips along the river routes. When the route is completed, boaters will turn in their chips for cards selected from a deck of cards.
One route starts at 9 a.m. from the Gnadenhutten boat ramp and goes 17 miles to the Newcomerstown boat ramp at the Heller-Simonds Park at the River Street bridge. Boaters will receive a total of seven cards.
The second route starts at 11 a.m. and will go six miles from the Newcomerstown boat ramp to State Route 751 and the boat ramp at Orange on U.S. 36. Boaters will receive five cards on this route.
For more information, call 740-498-6313.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: In the News: Busy event planned for annual Gateway
