Around Town: April 23, 2025

By: Ernie Wren
Joan Petralia is one of those people that do so much for the community year after year!

Joan is a retired Southern Boone School District teacher who coordinates the spring and fall Walking School Bus Program (WSB) for the benefit of our youth, and the efforts of both Joan and the volunteers are greatly appreciated.

She shared that, “We are happy to invite your family to join the Walking School Bus program and we look forward to walking your child/children to school. A WSB is a group of children who walk to school together under the supervision of adult leaders (e.g., a parent/grandparent or community member).

The program promotes good health, a cleaner environment, reduced traffic around school, and a ready-to-learn attitude for the school day. Daycares are welcome to join us. We currently have two ‘bus stops’, or starting points, for the walkers. Contact Joan Seidel at jseidelpetralia@gmail.com if you are interested in forming a Walking School Bus route in your neighborhood or if you have questions about the program.”

The program will begin on Monday, May 5th and ending Friday, May 23rd. The route starting locations are the Ashland Public Library parking lot and the Ashland Childcare Center (corner of Liberty Lane and Douglas). Supervision begins at 7:20 am, and children start walking to school at 7:30. As always, adult volunteers are needed. Make sure there is an adult volunteer with a yellow “Walking School Bus” pack before leaving your child at a stop.

As you may have read in last week’s paper, the community has been celebrating the Southern Boone Area YMCA’s 10th year anniversary, which caps off this Saturday, April 26th with some fun events. The “Spring Clean 5K Run/Walk/Trash Pickup” will have registration at 8am with the race beginning at 9am. My wife Danna and I will be there to walk and pick up trash, I hope to see everyone there! “Healthy Kids” activities will be from 11am to 1pm at the YMCA, along with the annual community lot party. For information go to the Southern Boone Area YMCA Facebook page, website, or stop in at the facility.

REMINDERS: The Garden Club’s ANNUAL PLANT SALE is coming up soon! It will be hosted at the Senior Center on Friday, April 25th from 2pm to 7pm, or Saturday, April 26th, from 8am to Noon.

The city-wide garage sale is also scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, 2025. See front page for list of sales addresses.

The City of Ashland residential bulk clean-up has been scheduled for Thursday, May 1, 2025. This is for residential customers only, and the customers must be located inside city limits. If you have any questions concerning these guidelines, please contact the waste office at (573) 635-8805.

As we enter the month of May next week, did you know: Ancient English used to refer to May by a totally different name. The month was known as the “month of three milkings” at the time. Interestingly, this meant that cows could be milked three times a day in May due to the quantity of new grass. (coolkidfacts.com).