WINDSOR TOWNSHIP — A fog bank may have delayed the arrival of The Ohio State University President L. Gordon Gee aircraft at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport Wednesday morning, but the delay didn’t slow down the pace at which he visited several northeast Ohio counties.
Gee’s first stop on a whirlwind day of visits was the 4-H Camp Whitewood in Windsor Township. A few raindrops came down as camp director Brandon Mitchell loaned Gee a red rain slicker — OSU colors — for a tour of the camp’s facilities. OSU Ashtabula County Extension Service agent David Marrison and Mitchell hosted Gee’s visit, his first to this 4-H camp.
He plans to visit all 14 4-H camps in Ohio this summer. His goal includes meeting with OSU Extension Service officials in Ohio’s 88 counties during his first year as president.
At Camp Whitewood, Gee rode in a golf cart to the camp’s dining hall, and watched some of the 150 Lake County 4-H campers at various outdoor education sites. At the lake, Gee talked about the university with the campers in a covered pavilion.
“How many of you plan to go to Ohio State?” he asked. Several hands went up with kids saying they were future OSU students.
Nick Walker, 14, of Perry Township, however, was the exception. “I’m planning to attend University of Michigan,” Walker said, causing laughter, even from Gee.
The affable president, who always sports a bowtie, replied OSU has the best football team.
Gee said he wanted to spend more time at the camp, but had to travel to Perry Township.
Kate Wolford, Gee’s assistant and director of operations, along with Susan R. Jones, OSU director of administration, accompanied the university president on his flight trip to northern Ohio. At Perry Township, Gee visited Klyn Nursery. His visit was hosted by owner and president Bill Hendricks.
Gee returned to OSU last fall to become its 14th president, actually his second time at OSU. He served as president from 1990-97, then spent seven years as chancellor of Vanderbilt University. Gee has served as president of five different colleges.
In Perry Township, Ashtabula and Lake County officials, including Extension Service personnel, met and enjoyed lunch in Klyn Nursery’s Bamboo Garden, a special demonstration plot used by the Hendricks. The nursery owner said he was pleased to host Gee’s visit to his 500-acre operation.
Later Wednesday afternoon, Gee drove to Chesterland to visit former OSU trustee James Patterson at the Patterson family’s fruit farm. Today and Friday, Gee will be visiting sites in Mahoning and Columbiana counties, Wolford said.
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GEE COMES TO TOWN
OSU president visits northeast Ohio sites
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