Join the Bishop Backers Jan. 17 for a Free Delaware Celebration
DELAWARE, Ohio – For local residents seeking free family fun, this event is a slam dunk.
On Jan. 17, the Bishop Backers will host “Community Service Day 2015,” with free admission to the Ohio Wesleyan University men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader (with the donation of a canned food item) and a community expo featuring children’s activities and a showcase of local nonprofit organizations, community service agencies, businesses, and restaurants.
The expo will open at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 17 and include activities provided by the Delaware Community Center YMCA, a martial arts demonstration, and much more. Later, both the Battling Bishop women’s and men’s basketball teams will take on the DePauw (Indiana) Tigers. The women’s game tips off at 1 p.m. and the men’s game at 3 p.m. The expo will be held in Gordon Field House and the basketball games in the adjoining Branch Rickey Arena, 105 S. Sandusky St., Delaware.
Community Service Day 2015 will feature brief remarks from Delaware Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle, Delaware County Commissioner Gary Merrell, and Ohio Wesleyan President Rock Jones. The national anthem will be performed by the Hayes Singers from Delaware City Schools’ Rutherford B. Hayes High School.
During halftime of the women’s game, youth basketball exhibitions will be held. During halftime of the men’s game, the 2014 OWU men’s soccer team will be recognized for its national NCAA Division III tournament participation, and the Hayes Singers will perform a selection from the school’s spring musical, “Footloose.”
“The Bishop Backers Community Service Day gives us an opportunity to bring ‘town and gown’ together to showcase the wonderful opportunities available locally, to be involved in community service, and to learn more about many of our Delaware-area businesses,” said Roger Ingles, OWU’s director of athletics and a leader of the Bishop Backers. “In between, you get to watch some very good basketball teams compete. Admission is free, and we look forward to seeing you there.”
The Bishop Backers is an organization of community advocates interested in sharing information about the breadth of athletics, arts, and educational opportunities available at Ohio Wesleyan and in connecting potential student-volunteers, interns, and employees with local organizations. Follow the Bishop Backers or learn more about the organization at www.facebook.com/BishopBackers.
Nonprofit organizations, businesses, and restaurants seeking to participate in the expo are asked to sign up before Jan. 13. There is no cost to participate, courtesy of Delaware County Bank and of Steve Cuckler and the Rinehart, Rishel & Cuckler Ltd. law firm. Expo registration forms are available online at www.owu.edu/BishopBackers.pdf or by contacting Ed Lenane at Ohio Wesleyan at ewlenane@owu.edu.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers 86 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Ohio Wesleyan combines a challenging, internationally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities to connect classroom theory with real-world experience. OWU’s 1,750 students represent 46 U.S. states and territories and 43 countries. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.