Mansfield man saved from near drowning by fellow fishermen at Pleasant Hill Lake:
Carnival of Animals, sensory-friendly interactive children’s concert, set for Feb. 6 at The Renaissance Theatre:
Ashland Health Department to host another vaccine clinic Jan. 26:
Douglas Marshall Cameron:
Anglers save Mansfield man from drowning
A Mansfield man was recently saved from nearly drowning by a fellow fishermen at Pleasant Hill Lake. Fred Sowders’ wife told him to wear a coat when he went out fishing the day after Christmas.
Hours later, that neon green jacket helped save his life. It was midmorning when Sowders was on the water and decided to move to a different part of the lake.
He attempted to pull start his motor, placing his left hand on top of the motor and pulling the cord with his right. According to Sowders, the motor started and the boat went forward, then began whirling in circles.
The boat took on more water with each turn. His vessel was sinking, so Sowders let go and began to swim. Plunged into the frigid waters, he managed to dog paddle to a fallen tree and take hold. He called out for help at least three times before losing consciousness–so cold that he couldn’t move.
Meanwhile, Joe McKenna and Dave Wittmer were also out fishing. They didn’t know Sowders, but they recognized him. They knew the older man with the bright green coat who liked to blare 1960s rock-n-roll was out on the lake that day.
The first time they heard Sowders scream, they shrugged it off. Then came a second and third cry for help. They flew down the lake to look for Fred–knowing he was the only other person on the water.
His belongings were floating everywhere. Eventually the neon-yellowy hue of his winter coat caught their eye. All they could see was his shoulder poking out of the water.
After pulling Sowders into the boat, the pair called 911 and headed for shore. First responders from Monroe Township Fire & Rescue and Madison Township arrived in minutes.
Chief John Grimes, who was one of the four volunteers present that day, said the real heroes were McKenna and Wittmer. Sowders doesn’t see it that way. He’s equally grateful to all involved in his rescue.
Sowders is Mansfield resident and lifelong angler. He’s been in all kinds of boats, in all kinds of weather. But, he said he’d never thought he’d be so careless as to leave his engine in forward. But, he realizes now, an accident like that could have happened to anybody.
He’s thankful that when it happened to him, Mckenna, Wittmer, and all the first responders were around to help. And despite his brush with death, the 70-year-old man says he will continue fishing in the future.
“I’m not there to fish. I’m there for serenity,” he said. “The fish are extra. When I catch them, I don’t keep them. I give them all away.”
Bogie & Bacall tied the knot at Malabar Farm on May 21, 1945
Now, some local history. On May 21, 1945, one of the most famous weddings in Hollywood history happened right here in Richland County – at Louis Bromfield’s Malabar Farm.
The union of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. For a gift, Bromfield gave the couple a boxer puppy, and some land at Malabar for them to build a cottage — although they never did.
Teddy Bear Concert Feb. 6 at The Ren
Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight an event that you should know about.
The Renaissance Theatre just announced the second of their Teddy Bear Concerts in the 2021-2022 Mechanics Bank Education Series. Titled “The Carnival of the Animals,” the concert features an original script by Michael Thomas, accompanied by the classic The Carnival of the Animals music by French composer, Camille Saint Saens.
The performance will take place on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 2:30 p.m. on the main stage at the Renaissance Theatre. The sensory-friendly concert marks the return of the popular live, indoor concert experiences for young audiences and their families.
Ashland County Health Dept. to host Jan. 26 vaccine clinic
Next, From Ashland Source. The Ashland Health Department will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Ashland University on Jan. 26. They’ll have Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots available for people age 5 and older.
The health department will also be giving those who receive their first shot a $100 gift card. The clinic comes at a time when COVID-19 cases have spiked. According to the Ohio Department of Health, Ashland County has seen 1,230 cases of the novel coronavirus since Jan. 1.
Of those cases, 27 have been hospitalized and two have died. Still, ODH shows just 40% of the county’s population have completed vaccination.
Douglas Marshall Cameron
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of Douglas Marshall Cameron of Mount Vernon. He was a graduate of Adario Elementary School, Savannah High School and Case Institute of Technology and had a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Douglas also had a Professional Engineering License. Doug’s career started with Cooper Bessemer and continued for 40 years until his retirement from Rolls Royce. One of his main achievements was helping design gas compressors for the Alaskan Pipeline. His compressor design is still used today in the oil and gas industry.
Later, his hobby of farming turned into a profession. He delighted in seeing the beautiful fields of corn and loved his red tractors. Douglas was a steward of the land and one of the first farmers in the state to switch from plowing to no till and disking to conserve the soil. He was also one of the first Knox County farmers to put up grain storage bins.
Doug had a beautiful bass voice. He loved road trips, bus trips and especially train trips. He had an ornery sense of humor. He loved country music, eating Oreo Cookies, and Teddy Bears. He’s survived by his wife Audrey, his daughter, his sister, his brother, and numerous nieces and nephews.
