Arts Place to have summer classes

Arts Place Portland Center and Blackford County Arts Center are offering First Steps and MusicWorks programs in June and July.

First Steps in Music is for children 10 months through five years old and their parents or grandparents. The program will be taught by local music teacher Rachel Arnold and is designed to help children develop mentally and physically as they learn elemental concepts of music.

Classes in Portland will be held each Thursday from June 21 through July 26 and classes in Blackford County will be held each Monday from June 18 through July 23. 

First Steps for children ten to 23 months will take place from 9 to 9:35 a.m.; children two to three years old will meet from 10 to 10:35 a.m.; and children four to five will meet from 11 to 11:35 a.m.  

The cost is $40 per child and $15 for materials. 

MusicWorks programs for school-aged children and adults will be held June 4 through July 20. 

An Intro to Piano class for children ages five to eight is new this year at the Portland Center to introduce students to the basic principles of piano playing in a group setting.

Classes will be held each Thursday beginning May 31 and will continue through July 12. Five and six year old students will meet from 1 to 1:45 p.m. and seven and eight year olds will meet from 2 to 2:45 p.m. 

The cost is $50. 

Registration forms can be picked up at Arts Place Portland Center, 131 E. Walnut St. or Blackford County Arts Center, 107 W. Washington St. in Hartford City. They are also available online, along with scholarship information, at Artsland.org.

For more information, call Julie Swoveland at (260) 726-4809 or Amy Day at (765) 348-4154.  



Healthy challenge

Mercer Health and Community Sports and Therapy Center are partnering for a “Healthy Waves Challenge” to encourage the community to get up and move.

The challenge will run through June 24 and participants will be required to complete 1,020 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the challenge and will include a $100 gift certificates to an area fitness center, a $100 certificate for a pair of shoes and a $50 Mercer County Chamber gift certificate.

Those wanting to take the challenge must be at least 18 years old. Entry forms are available at Mercer Health registration desk (800 W. Main St. in Coldwater, Ohio), Mercer Health Weight Management Center/West Center, Community Sports and Therapy Center locations and Mercer County libraries.



Dean’s list

James Bracy, Portland,  was named to the spring semester residential undergraduate program Dean’s List at Ohio Christian University, Circleville, Ohio.