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December 20, 2022 | By Cole Hatcher

Winter Community Day 2023

Nonprofits, Businesses Invited to Register Now for Expo Space at Feb. 18 Bishop Backers Event

Bishop Backers Winter Community Day will be held Feb. 18, 2023, at Ohio Wesleyan University. The free event will feature an OWU basketball doubleheader and a Delaware Expo that includes a YMCA children’s play area and a visit from Columbus Zoo animals. (Photo by Sydney Lewis ’23)

DELAWARE, Ohio – The Bishop Backers invite you to save the date for Winter Community Day 2023, a countywide Delaware celebration featuring free admission (with a canned food donation) to an Ohio Wesleyan University basketball doubleheader and a Delaware Expo that showcases local nonprofit organizations and businesses.

Bishop Backers Winter Community Day 2023 will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, at Ohio Wesleyan’s Branch Rickey Arena and Gordon Field House, 105 S. Sandusky St., Delaware.

Organizations wishing to have a table at the Delaware Expo are asked to register online now at owu.edu/BishopBackers. Tables are $25 for for-profit businesses if paid at the time of registration or $30 (cash only) if paid on the day of the event. Tables are free for nonprofit organizations. The registration deadline for both groups is Jan. 31.

All participants are invited to collect canned goods in advance at their locations to contribute to the day’s food drive, which will benefit the Delaware County Hunger Alliance, a United Way of Delaware County initiative.

During the family-friendly Bishop Backers event, the OWU women’s and men’s basketball teams will take on the Terriers of Hiram College. It will be senior day for both teams, and the games will mark the last home competitions for the 2022-2023 Battling Bishops. The women’s game will tip off at 1 p.m., and the men’s game will follow at 3 p.m.

The Delaware Expo will be open from noon to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and will feature:

  • A children’s play area with pickleball and a gaga pit courtesy of the Delaware Community Center YMCA.
  • A visit from Columbus Zoo and Aquarium animal ambassadors.
  • A chance to explore the Delaware Fire Department’s inflatable fire safety house with giveaway helmets and stickers for children.
  • An opportunity to visit with dogs from the Humane Society of Delaware County.
  • A chance to meet Battling Bishop varsity athletes.
  • A free raffle for a big-screen television courtesy of First Commonwealth Bank and 50/50 raffles to benefit the Hunger Alliance.

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 nonprofit organizations to connect with potential customers and volunteers, including Ohio Wesleyan students and alumni.

The Bishop Backers is an organization of community advocates interested in sharing information about athletics and other events at Ohio Wesleyan and in connecting potential student-volunteers, interns, and employees with local organizations. Learn more at owu.edu/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 more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “Best Colleges” lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.