Around Freedom – Ravenna Record Courier

By Amanda Garrett Published: June 30, 2017 4:00 AM

Freedom Township was a hub for communications around the world last weekend.

Members of the Portage County Amateur Radio Service held their annual field day Saturday and Sunday at the Freedom Community Park on S.R. 700. Field day is a 24-hour event in which PCARS members set up state-of-the-art technology to communicate with other amateur radio enthusiasts in the U.S., Canada, and even around the world.

While the field days allows PCARS members to hone their amateur radio skills and socialize --there was plenty of good food available in the park's picnic area -- it also has a serious purpose in emergency preparedness, which is reflected in Ohio Gov. John Kasich's proclamation of June 24-25 as Amateur Radio Operators' Appreciation Day.

"We like to say 'when all else fails, amateur radio works'" Freedom resident and PCARS media relations manager Tom Parkinson said. "In the case of a major emergency, we as amateur radio operators can step up and help out."

When I visited on Sunday afternoon, the park had been transformed into a mobile communications center with several antennas and a large generator spread around the park grounds. PCARS members Andrew and Jennifer Williams were working to contact operators in Southern states like Alabama, Florida, and Texas, Terry Morris was busy sending out signals via Morse code, and Mike Ryan and Al Nagy were communicating via microphone.

This is the second year that the field day has been held in Freedom and Parkinson said the members are very satisfied with the location because the large amount of space and rural location give them the advantage of using their equipment to the best advantage. Last year, PCARS finished fifth overall and second in Ohio among groups in their class, and they were on course to match or exceed their 2016 numbers by Sunday afternoon.

The members were mostly communicating with others in the U.S., but they did receive international calls, including one from far-away New Zealand.

"It came through about 3 a.m.," Nagy said. "And we all about fell off our chairs."

To learn more about PCARS, visit their website at portcars.org.

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Another great Freedom event held last Sunday was the annual open house for Peter and Susan Schneider's garden. The Schneiders open their Vair Road garden to the public every June, so visitors can view the more than 1,200 roses including rare and hard-to-find varieties from England, France and Germany.

My mother and I visited on Sunday and the eight-acre grounds were like stepping back into a British period drama. There were roses in almost every color of the rainbow, including bright orange, pale lavender, deep red, and every possible shade of pink, and the fragrant scent of the blooms filled the air.

The eight-acre property also includes two lily ponds, an orchard, and other flowering trees and shrubs.

You can visit the Facebook page Freedom Township: Then and Now for more photos of the roses and the field day event.

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The township's annual trash drop-off weekend on June 8 to 10 was a resounding success, Trustee John Zizka reported. Residents filled up six 40-cubic-yard containers of trash, four containers of tires, and three containers of recyclable material.

However, despite the success of the trash drop-off, some people are still dumping their trash in the recycling containers next to the town hall, Zizka said. The trustees are considering ways to curb this behavior including hiring a deputy from the Portage County Solid Waste District to monitor the containers, installing video cameras, and instituting curbside recycling.

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The Freedom Township Historical Society had another great crowd out for our June meeting, which was a special presentation from FTHS member Jeannette Wilson Marvin-Hall on the history of the Freedom school system, Freedom High School, and Freedom alumni. There were also several historical artifacts on display, including Speedometer yearbooks, bricks from the high school, and a band uniform. A fascinating fact I learned from the presentation was that Freedom High School's colors were orange and black, and its sports teams was known as the Yellow Jackets.

Also, it was especially nice to see former Freedom Station resident the Rev. Lyle Petit and his wife, Jeannette, at the meeting. They traveled all the way from Arizona to visit family in Ohio, and they were gracious enough to take the time to stop by and visit and share their Freedom memories.

Our next meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 11 at the Freedom Community Center, 8940 S.R. 700. There will be a talk by FTHS Vice President Claudia Garrett on the early settlers of Freedom with a special focus on the pioneer women and the hardships they faced. There will also be Fourth of July-themed refreshments followed by a business meeting.

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The First Congregational Church of Freedom held its annual Father's Day picnic on June 2 following the worship service. The ladies of the church outdid themselves with all the wonderful food and preparation for this special event, the Rev. Jim Melick reported. Everyone enjoyed not only the good food, but great fellowship with lots of fun and joy.

Michael Gardner will be ministering in music and preaching at 10:30 a.m. July 9 at the historic building at the intersection of S.R. 88 and S.R. 303. He has many years of experience sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Christian music in an uplifting and encouraging ministry. Pastor Melick and his wife, the Rev. Janie, invite everyone from Freedom and the surrounding community to join them for this special service.

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Happy Fourth of July to all my readers!

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Contact Amanda Garrett at agarettsun@yahoo.com or at 330-842-4374.

Originally posted here:

Around Freedom - Ravenna Record Courier