Commissioner Shayne Thomas to lead OCVN hike focusing on Seneca County properties

TIFFIN, OH — The next hike in a monthly educational hiking series for teens and adults features Seneca County Commissioner Shayne Thomas leading a hike to the county’s indigent cemetery and Opportunity Park. The hike at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 is to focus on the county’s active transportation plans on county-owned property east of Tiffin.

Parking for the hike is at the former Seneca County Youth Center off of Infirmary Road near the Seneca Crawford Area Transportation office, 3446 S. TR 151. The hike takes place on grass and pavement and is to include the general history of the county farm property as well.

This is the fifth hike in the series, which is always at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month.

The sixth hike on Oct. 15 features autumn colors on the trails at Steyer Nature Preserve, 5901 N. CR 33.

The local OCVN program graduated its first class of 12 OCVNs-in-training in early spring, and they are working toward completing 40 hours of volunteer service before they can become full-fledged certified volunteer naturalists.

The OCVN program, sponsored by the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center and Seneca County Park District, is planning its next classroom training for late winter/early spring 2021.

To be placed on a list of people interested in the OCVN program or to let the OCVN program know about volunteer opportunities with a nature-based organization, contact SCPD Executive Director Sarah Betts at (419) 447-8091 or [email protected], or Sister Shirley Shafranek at [email protected] or (419) 448-7485.

For more information about future hikes in the series or to be placed on an email list to keep up to date, contact Vicki Johnson at [email protected].