Nominate a brave Ohioan for fire award

Nominations for the annual Ohio Fire Service Hall of Fame and Fire Awards ceremony are open.

The awards ceremony recognizes members of the fire service and their “bravery, commitment and sacrifice … (made) on behalf of their communities,” according to a press release from The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal and the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Division of EMS. It also recognizes members of the public who “are credited with directly saving or attempting to save a life or lives during an extreme fire or other emergency rescue situation,” the release says. 

Recipients will be honored April 24 at the Center of Science and Industry in downtown Columbus, Ohio. To nominate a person, visit com.ohio.gov/HOFNom. The deadline is Dec. 22.

Pet refuge anniversary

It’s been 10 years since Midwest Pet Refuge started taking in animals. 

The local nonprofit rescue is celebrating its anniversary with an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at its building, 601 N. Charles St., Portland. Treats for pets and humans, raffles, a food truck and more will be available. There will also be a costume contest at 3 p.m., with awards for best pet, best person and best pet/person combination.

For information or to make a donation, visit midwestpetrefuge.com or check out the organization’s Facebook page.

Auction scheduled

Arts Place will host its annual holiday benefit auction Nov. 17.

This year’s event is themed after “A Christmas Story.” (Jay County Civic Theatre will present its production of the musical Dec. 7, 8, 9, 15, 16 and 17 at Arts Place.)

The auction will feature refreshments, a silent auction and a live auction.

For more information, email [email protected] or call (260) 726-4809.

Paintings on display

Ball State University’s David Owsley Museum of Art is displaying paintings from New York artist Debbie May through Dec. 21. 

The exhibit will feature more than 50 paintings. The abstract works display an imaginative use of black and white or muted tones over marble dust.

“I invite everyone to discover Debbie Ma’s mesmerizing works, which were first pointed out to me by the museum’s namesake benefactor,” said Robert G. La France, director of the David Owsley Museum of Art. 

“A man of few words and a decisive collector of action, David T. Owsley instinctively responded to the perfect arrangement of shapes and complex interactions between visual elements in Ma’s marble dust paintings. I think that our visitors will, too.”

David Owsley Museum of Art in Muncie is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.