Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region

Canton Repository
·6 min read
Lucy Wineka, 7, of North Canton does her best to reassure her cousin, Chance Koteles, 1, of North Canton during a visit to see Santa, who got an assist from Bernie Roberts of Akron at the Belden Village Mall.
Lucy Wineka, 7, of North Canton does her best to reassure her cousin, Chance Koteles, 1, of North Canton during a visit to see Santa, who got an assist from Bernie Roberts of Akron at the Belden Village Mall.

Learn how to protect your retirement income

CANTON – The Stark County District Library DeHoff Memorial Branch, 216 Hartford Ave. SE, will offer “Safeguarding Your Retirement Income” from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday. Learn asset protection strategies for pre- and post-retirement income, longevity impact, withdrawal plans, rising costs, insurance and health care expenses.

For more information on this program presented by Edward Jones, call 330-452-9014 or email dehoff@starklibrary.org. To register, visit the shortened link https://tinyurl.com/mtubfzhh.

Learn about the library’s Maker Studio and its equipment

CANTON – Stark County District Library’s Main Branch, 715 Market Ave. N, will offer “Getting to Know the Maker Studio” from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday.

Attendees will learn about the Maker Space and the equipment available – such as 3D printers, Cricuts and sewing machines – for patrons to use for their projects. The session is free.

For more information, call 330- 452-0665, email contactus@starklibrary.org, or visit https://tinyurl.com/49e2edk3.

After-abortion support group to meet Wednesday

CANTON – Hope and Healing’s Women of Worth after-abortion support group will meet Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Call or text 330-834-8224 for details and location information.

Cole Nigro, 18 of Minerva gives Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, a Christmas gift wish during a visit to Belden Village Mall.
Cole Nigro, 18 of Minerva gives Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, a Christmas gift wish during a visit to Belden Village Mall.

Family movies at main library

CANTON – Stark County District Library Main Library, 715 Market Ave. N, will show winter-themed family-friendly movies from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 26 through Dec. 29 in the McKinley Room (SA 207). Popcorn will be provided:

  • Dec 26: Balto (rated G)

  • Dec 27: Abominable (rated PG)

  • Dec 28: The Polar Express (rated G)

  • Dec 29: Ice Age (rated PG)

Register at https://tinyurl.com/43dp927z or call the library at 330-452-0665.

Stark County Civil War Roundtable to meet

LAKE TWP. − The Stark County Civil War Roundtable will host Mike Slenski presenting “Santa Claus in America in the 1800s: Before, During and After the Civil War” at 7 p.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church, 3088 State St. NW.

Slenski will be wearing a Santa suit similar to one worn during a Civil War visit to the Union Army in Fredericksburg, Maryland, on Dec. 6, 1862. Slenski of St. Clairsville, Ohio, has been a professional Santa for the past 10 years, with a degree from Santa University.

As at past December meetings, there will be a little Christmas celebration with food. If you would like to bring a dish of your choice or cookies to share with the other members, it would be welcomed but not necessary.

Dues for 2024 (January through December) are $20 per member, or $25 for two or more at the same residence. The nonmember meeting fee is $4.

Free glassblowing demonstrations on Thursdays

JACKSON TWP. – The Glass Garden of Canton, 4330 Avondale Lane NW, holds free glassblowing demonstrations from 5 to 8 p.m. every Thursday. No reservations are necessary. For more information, call 234-360-3611.

Join teen craft session, learn about famous artists

MASSILLON – Massillon Public Library will hold Teen Craft Time for grades 7 through 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in the main auditorium. Grab a small diamond painting kit and watch a holiday-themed movie. No registration is required. All supplies are provided, but they are limited.

Start with Art offers kids in grades 3 through 6 a chance to get messy with paint and glue as they explore the work of famous artists. From 5 to 6 p.m. Dec. 26 in the main auditorium, attendees will learn about book illustrator Ezra Jack Keats and make their own accordion books and cityscapes.

Giovanni Campitelli, 3, of North Canton strikes a pose during a visit to see Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, at Belden Village Mall.
Giovanni Campitelli, 3, of North Canton strikes a pose during a visit to see Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, at Belden Village Mall.

Hike-a-Thon is Thursday

Stark Parks will hold a Winter Hike-a-Thon on Thursday. Hike all day from sunrise (7:47 a.m.) to sunset (5:01 p.m.), or pick a trail or two of your choice to get a few miles in. Registration is required for each location. Register at https://starkparks.com/winterhike/. For more information, call 330-477-3552.The full schedule, including times and locations, is as follows:

  • Hike 1 (3 to 3.5 miles): 7:30 to 9 a.m., Olde Muskingum Trail-Cherry Street Trailhead, 220 Cherry St. W, Canal Fulton.

  • Hike 2 (3 to 4 miles): 10 a.m. to noon, Towpath Trail-Lake Avenue Trailhead, 135 Lake Ave. NW, Massillon.

  • Hike 3 (3 miles): 1 to 2:30 p.m., Sippo Lake Park-Exploration Gateway, 5712 12th St. NW, Perry Township.

  • Hike 4 (2 to 3 miles): 3:30 to 5 p.m., Tam O’Shanter Park-large parking lot, 5055 Hills & Dales Road NW, Jackson Township.

Stark Parks receives award

The Ohio Parks and Recreation Association recently announced its 2023 Annual Awards of Excellence winners, and Stark Parks received a second-place award in the Historical and Cultural Arts category for the Kinder Concert: MusiCall of the Wild program.

More than eight years ago, Stark Parks and the Canton Symphony Orchestra partnered to bring live music to new and diverse natural settings around Stark County. In 2023, the partnership evolved to create the Kinder Concert: MusiCall of the Wild program, so community members could enjoy the unique combination of the arts and nature.

The program taught people of all ages about types of instruments, the sounds they make, how that sound is produced, and how they compare to the same aspects of the animals in their local parks.

The OPRA Annual Awards of Excellence will be presented at a banquet hosted by the association on Feb. 6 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Sandusky.

Ella Pendleton, 1, of Canton makes a cautious approach with a wave from Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, at Belden Village Mall.
Ella Pendleton, 1, of Canton makes a cautious approach with a wave from Santa, with help from Bernie Roberts of Akron, at Belden Village Mall.

Donate blood

The American Red Cross has scheduled the following blood drives in Stark County. Appointments are encouraged. Schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-733-2767.

  • Jackson Township: Dec. 20, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Paul & Carol David YMCA, 7389 Caritas Circle NW

  • Massillon: Dec. 26, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Massillon Recreation Center, 505 Erie St. N

  • Navarre: Dec. 27, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Towpath Trail YMCA, 1226 Market St. NE

  • North Canton: Dec. 19, 2 to 7 p.m., Church of Christ, 1301 E. Maple St.

  • Plain Township: Dec. 27, noon to 6 p.m., The Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities, 2950 Whipple Ave. NW

To celebrate the upcoming Prime Video release, “Candy Cane Lane,” those who give blood in December will be entered to win a holiday prize package, including a $1,000 Amazon.com gift card and 65-inch Omni QLED Series Amazon Fire TV. There will be 12 winners.

Ella Pendleton, 1, of Canton looks at the Christmas lights at Belden Village Mall during a visit to see Santa.
Ella Pendleton, 1, of Canton looks at the Christmas lights at Belden Village Mall during a visit to see Santa.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County roundup: News from around the Canton region