By Kevin Fitzsimons Betty Schoenbaum visits the Campbell Hall day care center.

$2.5 million gift supports college's childhood development center

The dream of an expanded Ohio State early childhood center in the Weinland Park neighborhood is closer to reality thanks to longtime supporter and friend of the University Betty Schoenbaum.

Schoenbaum has pledged $2.5 million to help the College of Human Ecology create an early childhood development center in the neighborhood just east of campus. It is the lead gift in a new effort to relocate the A. Sophie Rogers Early Childhood Laboratory School from Campbell Hall on campus to a community setting.

Serving 140 infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families -- compared with the current 30 children and their families served -- the new center will be a significantly larger facility featuring increased space for research and training of students and professionals.

"I've read that quality care during the first four years of children's lives is critical to their lifelong development," Schoenbaum said. "This means that for children whose families lack advantages, high-quality early childhood education is critical to their getting a good start in life. For years, I dreamed of starting the ideal center, offering the finest early care and education to young children and their families who couldn't otherwise afford it. I'm thrilled that my dream will now come true."

David W. Andrews, dean of human ecology, says that one goal of the center is to share the college's resources and expertise in early childhood development and education with the neighborhood east of High Street, an area plagued by poverty, unemployment and high transience.

"The center will have a holistic focus on early childhood development that includes literacy and school readiness," he said. "It will also serve as a focal point for the early childhood component of the University's P-12 Initiative." At the same time, he points out that children benefit most from programs in which participants come from a mix of backgrounds. "The new center will serve children from all walks of life, including different socioeconomic groups," he said.

Promoting wellness

By Jo McCulty Gaye James leads a Tai Chi class for faculty and staff.

Health and Wellness Fair will take place Sept. 12 at the French Field House

Tai Chi, acupuncture, massage therapy -- health care is no longer just about doctor's visits and medications. Today's consumers regularly take advantage of a wide array of treatments and preventative options that might once have seemed non-customary, but are now becoming a routine part of a healthy lifestyle.

An upcoming Health and Wellness Fair hosted by the University Faculty and Staff Wellness Program and the Office of Human Resources will give faculty and staff an opportunity to learn more about the services available to them at Ohio State as well as throughout central Ohio.

The fair, presented for the first time this year, will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 12 in the French Field House and will feature more than 50 on- and off-campus service providers.

"It will be an educational and hands-on experience. We're trying to help employees explore additional methods for taking care of their well-being through a holistic -- mind, body, and spirit -- approach," said Marianne Robinson, program manager for the Faculty and Staff Wellness Program.

At the fair, visitors can take advantage of chair massage and reflexology treatments, sit for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and osteoporosis screenings, and munch on free snacks of sandwiches, fruit, popcorn and peanuts. Door prizes will include gift certificates to area restaurants and businesses as well as a grand prize for a two-night stay at Deer Creek State Park lodge in Mt. Sterling.

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be on site from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. To make an appointment, contact Roxanne Montgomery at montgomerr@usa.redcross.

Service providers will include, among others, the University Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, the College of Optometry, the College of Dentistry, JamesCare, Somatic Studies and the OSU Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic, as well as off-campus services such as the American Lung Association, American Red Cross, Lifeline of Ohio, the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, and many area alternative and complementary businesses.

Construction brings changes to football parking

Construction projects will mean some changes in parking for Ohio State football fans. With several roads and buildings undergoing construction, renovation or replacement, parking lots that usually accommodate football fans are now filled with construction equipment.

"The biggest changes this year are in our motor home/RV parking and in disability permit parking," said Beth Kelley, associate director of transportation and parking services. "Our advice for motorists continues to be come early and follow the directions of the officers to available campus parking. Traffic officers know when parking lots are full and can direct motorists to the best available parking."

Since most students do not return until classes begin Sept. 20, officials expect heavy traffic for the first home game on Aug. 24. Unaffected by construction is the ample public parking on west campus. The lots are on Carmack Road, just west of Kenny Road and south of Lane Avenue. Day-of-game parking is free for faculty and staff with an OSU parking permit. Free bus service from west campus begins three hours prior to kickoff and continues until one hour after the game. Additional public parking is available in the Buckeye lots north of the Schottenstein Center and in the polo field at 12th Avenue and Cannon Drive.