NEWS

Perhaps the gift for which Bob Barko Jr. is most thankful is one that requires neither ribbon nor bow, but keeps on giving.

You might also say the present keeps expanding — and is a box filled with hopes and iterations.

“We’ve had setbacks but hey, we get up more times than we get knocked down,” said Barko, a graphic artist who runs Steel Town Studios in downtown Youngstown. “We’re hopeful. I see Youngstown continuing to grow; it’s a very exciting time.”

Barko’s gift of unbridled optimism about the city — not to mention much of his artwork that captures its character and essence — was on display Saturday, which kicked off the annual two-day Christmas at the Mill gathering in and near Lanterman’s Mill off Canfield Road in Mill Creek Park.

The free, family- and holiday-themed event continued Sunday.

The funfest featured 21 artisans, crafters, woodcarvers and food vendors, along with the Dulcimer Society of Trumbull County, Eric Simione, mill manager, noted.

“It’s a nice kickoff for the holiday season, and it has become a nice popular tradition,” Simione said, adding that Christmas at the Mill began in the 1980s more than 35 years ago.

Barko, a well-known local artist, also was a master sergeant who served in the 910th Airlift Wing’s Public Affairs office at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna. As one of the holiday event’s regular vendors, Barko also brought many of his vibrant and nostalgic prints and collages he created with colored pencils and ink that capture a large chunk of Youngstown pop culture and folklore.

His latest creation is titled “Retrospective Yo.,” a digital collage of many of his previous pieces. In addition, Barko, who has referred to himself as “a Penguin through and through,” had prints of his iconic fire hydrants on which he has spent the last 25 years hand-painting Pete and Penny the Penguin, the Youngstown State University football team’s mascots, thereby giving many street corners an unmistakable touch of local identity and culture.

So far, he has transformed 97 hydrants throughout the city, Barko added.

Colored pencils, ink and anything fire hydrant-themed were missing from Debbie Smith’s work, though the abundance aspect was not.

“This is the highlight of the year,” Smith, who runs a 25-year-old Columbiana-based business called Deb’s Colorful Creations, said about being part of Christmas at the Mill.

For sale Saturday were a wide array of her colorful, and rock-solid, creations that included hand-crafted gemstones, arrowheads, crosses, rings and other items. Also in the mix were hematite-based products she said are helpful for pain relief.

Hematite is a popular type of iron oxide commonly found in various rocks and soils.

Assisting Smith was her daughter, Jessica Smith of Columbiana, who busily used acrylic yarn to make her creations, which included a light-purple dragon.

For the elder Smith, being among the vendors at the popular and beloved door-opener for many to the holidays also carries a personal touch because of where she once resided.

“I grew up in Volney Rogers’ home, so this feels like I’m going home,” she said.

On Sunday, Chelsea Fogle was going home, but that meant a 600-mile round-trip after bringing her two children to the event and to see their grandparents who live in the Mahoning Valley.

“We’ve been coming home every Thanksgiving for the last three years,” Fogle, of Alexandria, Virginia, said.

Fogle, who brought to the gathering Saturday her two sons, Townsend Fogle, 6, and Jack Zetts, 7 months, said she also appreciates helping and contributing to local markets and small businesses. She added that attending Christmas at the Mill is steeped in family tradition.

“I like running,” Townsend said, adding that the top gifts on his Christmas wish list are a treadmill and a two-wheeled self-balancing motorized scooter.

Additional merchandise for sale included a variety of scented soaps and lotions, wooden kitchen utensils, spoons and ladles, soft pet toys and mats, several flavors of fudge and macaroons, holiday decorations and ornaments. Also on hand was Scott Lanz, who started a nature photography business called LanzScape Photography Ltd., and was selling calendars on which are many of his photographs capturing Mill Creek Park in all seasons.

The event also featured a “giving tree” in which attendees were encouraged to donate scarves, gloves, mittens, hats and other cold-weather items that will go to those less fortunate. By early Saturday, the 7-foot tree was nearly filled.

“I’m very happy to make kids warm,” said Michael Hauck, a Mill Creek MetroParks volunteer who was overseeing the tree Saturday, which was brisk with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-30s but little wind.

The donations’ recipient this year will likely be the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley, which will distribute the items to people in need.

Of course, no Christmas at the Mill would be complete without Ray Novotny, Mill Creek MetroParks naturalist emeritus, who was on hand Saturday to roast chestnuts over an open fire (and on a new grill), much to the delight of those of all ages who stood in a long line to receive a few.

On Sunday, Santa Claus made an early holiday appearance.

Read the original article at The Vindicator.