News & Media

Free Bishop Backers Community Day Celebration Set for Feb. 17, 2018

Delaware Nonprofit Organizations, Businesses Invited to Register Now for Expo Space

DELAWARE, Ohio – The Bishop Backers invite you to save the date for Community Day 2018, a countywide celebration of Delaware that will include free admission to an Ohio Wesleyan University men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader (with a canned food donation) and an expo showcasing local community service agencies and businesses. 

Community Day 2018 will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, at Ohio Wesleyan’s Branch Rickey Arena and Gordon Field House, 105 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. The event is scheduled to feature an indoor children’s play area courtesy of the Delaware Community Center YMCA, a visit from Columbus Zoo and Aquarium animals, a chance to meet OWU athletes, and free raffles for prizes including a big-screen television. 

Attendees also are invited to watch the Battling Bishop men’s and women’s basketball teams take on the Gators of Allegheny College. The women’s game tips off at 1 p.m., and the men’s game follows at 3 p.m. The community expo will be held from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the adjacent field house, with the zoo animals visiting from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. 

Community Day is intended to bring people together for a free afternoon of entertainment and education, building on the strong sense of cooperation and collaboration that makes Delaware such a great community. The expo also will help businesses and community service organizations connect with potential customers and volunteers, including Ohio Wesleyan students and alumni. 

All canned food donations collected will benefit the Delaware County Hunger Alliance, which collaborates with organizations countywide to help address hunger and food insecurity issues. Learn more about the alliance, a United Way of Delaware County initiative, at www.DelawareCountyHunger.org. 

Those wishing to participate in the expo are asked to register before Feb. 5. Registration is free for nonprofit organizations. For-profit businesses are asked to contribute a minimum $10 gift card to be used for event raffles. Registrants will be provided with a table and two chairs. Expo registration forms are available online at www.owu.edu/BishopBackers. 

The Bishop Backers is an organization of community advocates interested in sharing information about the breadth of athletics and other opportunities available at Ohio Wesleyan and in connecting potential student-volunteers, interns, and employees with local organizations. 

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Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through Ohio Wesleyan’s signature OWU Connection program, students integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.