New this year, Stratford Ecological Center is offering an online auction as a fundraiser. Stratford Ecological Center, located just south of the city of Delaware, is a 236-acre educational farm and nature preserve operating a thriving environmental education program that served more than 8,000 children in 2017 from our local central Ohio community.

Money raised from the auction will be used to support children’s programs. With your help, we will send children to Farm Camp, subsidize school field trips, and increase enrollment in the Messages from the Earth science-based program for fifth-graders.

Simply go to www.howardauctions.net and click on the Register to Bid button. Register by providing your contact information. Next, make your bid on any of the items.

Available for bid are a $250 gift certificate to the Inn at Honey Run, a pine slab top coffee table crafted by Jim Scowden, a tandem skydive, a quilted wall hanging entitled “Rooster Through a Window” quilted by Marty Kotter, a handcrafted wooden bar and two stools made by Jim Scowden, a golf package for four including a golf cart at Glenross Golf Course, six hours of genealogical research, and an overnight package to The Wilds.

The bidding will close Thursday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. Items can be picked up and paid for at the ecological center located at 3083 Liberty Road, Delaware, during normal business hours the week of Aug. 13. Normal business hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Cheryl Hagerty

Ostrander