Press Release

November 28, 2016 | By Ohio Wesleyan University

Bishop Backers Community Day 2017 will be held Jan. 21, 2017, at Ohio Wesleyan University. Like last year, the free family-friendly event will include a visit from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Here, OWU men’s basketball players Claude Gray (center) and Erick Bryant make a new friend. (Photo by Emily Lee '17)

Free Bishop Backers Community Day Celebration Set For Jan. 21, 2017

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 2017, 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 2017 will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, 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, 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 Tigers of DePauw University. 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.

Community Day is intended to bring people together for a free afternoon of entertainment and education, building upon 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. Canned food donations will benefit LSS Food Pantries operated by Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio.

Those wishing to participate in the expo are asked to sign up before Jan. 12, 2017. 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.pdf or by contacting Ed Lenane at Ohio Wesleyan at ewlenane@owu.edu.

The Bishop Backers is an organization of community advocates interested in sharing information about the breadth of athletics, arts, and educational opportunities available at Ohio Wesleyan and in connecting potential student-volunteers, interns, and employees with local organizations. Follow the Bishop Backers or learn more about the organization at www.facebook.com/BishopBackers.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers nearly 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,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.