Perrysburg Podcast

Pickleball Paul and the Rise of Pickleball in Perrysburg

Today's episode is about pickleball in Perrysburg, and my guest is "Pickleball Paul," also known as Paul Smithers. During our conversation, you'll hear how pickleball became so popular locally, where to play, how beginners can get started, why the game has become such a social activity for people of all ages, and more. Whether you've never picked up a paddle or you already play regularly, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at one of Perrysburg's fastest-growing recreational activities. Highlights from this episode 🏓 the history of pickleball in Perrysburg 🏓 where to play 🏓 beginner tips 🏓 some pickleball etiquette 🏓 a reminder to stay active as you age 🏓 and why pickleball is such a social sport Links from this episode * Perrysburg Pickleball Club Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/2105884833042311/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2105884833042311/] * Pickleheads App (Find a Player) https://www.pickleheads.com/ [https://www.pickleheads.com/] * Email the Host - Kim Newlove, kim@perrysburgpodcast.com [kim@perrysburgpodcast.com] * Sign up for our weekly newsletter on https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/newsletter [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com] * Follow the podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast] List of Pickleball Courts in Perrysburg, Ohio Outdoor Courts * Perrysburg Municipal Park * Rotary Community Park Indoor Courts * Fort Meigs YMCA * Zion Lutheran Church (beginner classes Wednesdays from 2-6 PM) * Grace Church (E. Boundary St.) * Not mentioned today, but also available: PHCA (Perrysburg Heights Community Center) Other Locations Mentioned - Outside Perrysburg * Bowling Green pickleball courts * Sylvania pickleball courts * Holland pickleball courts * Waterville pickleball courts * Toledo pickleball courts at Rossford/Toledo Pickleball Club area

What is the Perrysburg Heights Community Association? Interview with PHCA Board Member Paul Belazis

The Perrysburg Heights Community Association (PHCA) is a nonprofit community organization in Perrysburg Township that helps children, adults, and families through education, wellness, food assistance, recreation, and community support programs. It started in 1991 as a response to concerns about children struggling academically in the Perrysburg Heights neighborhood. Over time, it grew from a small after-school tutoring effort in a construction trailer into a full community center offering: * after-school reading and enrichment programs * a summer camp * a food pantry * fitness and wellness activities * volunteer opportunities * GED support through partnerships * health screenings * a free primary care clinic for uninsured and underinsured patients A big part of PHCA's mission is helping people access opportunities, resources, and support while building a stronger sense of community connection. It also serves as a hub where schools, nonprofits, healthcare providers, businesses, volunteers, and local organizations collaborate to help families in the Perrysburg area. Paul Belazis has been a member of the Perrysburg community since 1987. He served as a member of the Perrysburg Heights Community Association PHCA board of trustees at its inception in 1991. He is the immediate PHCA Past President. Perrysburg Heights Community Association (PHCA) 12282 Jefferson St. Perrysburg, OH 43551 419-874-4529 Website: https://www.phcaohio.org/ [https://www.phcaohio.org/] Follow PHCA on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/phccofficial/ [https://www.facebook.com/phccofficial/] Community Partners Mentioned * Perrysburg Schools [https://www.perrysburgschools.net] * Islamic Food Bank of Toledo [https://islamicfoodbankoftoledo.org] * Halim Clinic [https://www.halimclinic.org] * Halim Clinic at PHCA phone number: (567) 318-4609 * Penta Career Center Adult Education [https://www.pentacareercenter.org/adult-education] * The Greater Toledo Community Foundation [https://toledocf.org] * United Way of Greater Toledo [https://unitedwaytoledo.org] * Mercy Health Mobile Mammography [https://www.mercy.com/news-events/events/toledo/2026/april/mobile-mammography-perrysburg-heights-community-association] Ways to Support PHCA * Volunteer * Donate * Become a reading mentor * Help with the food pantry * Schedule a tour * Spread awareness about PHCA services * Share this podcast episode Other Links * Email the Host - Kim Newlove, kim@perrysburgpodcast.com [kim@perrysburgpodcast.com] * Sign up for our weekly newsletter on https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/newsletter [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com] * Follow the podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast]

A Mother's Day Reflection

This is a Mother's Day themed episode. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in Perrysburg and beyond! This episode publishes on Friday, May 8, 2026, and Mother's Day in the United States is on May 10. Note: Even though this episode celebrates Moms, Mother's Day can also feel complicated, painful, or bittersweet for some people. No matter what this holiday feels like for you, I hope there's something in this episode that resonates with you today. This episode has three parts: 1. First: I peel back the curtain so you can get to know me better as a Mom 2. Second, I celebrate all types of mothers 3. Third, I share some of my personal favorite Mom-related things. Links and resources mentioned * Fort Meigs YMCA https://www.ymcatoledo.org/branch/fort-meigs/ [https://www.ymcatoledo.org/branch/fort-meigs/] * Barney Google song on YouTube [https://youtu.be/Qj4Td6-AL8M?si=41fWXnhTeCIBvnP4] * Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts * Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt * The Parent Trap (movie) * Bad Moms (movie) * Forrest Gump (movie) * https://mamadoctorjones.com/ [https://mamadoctorjones.com/] (women's health channel) * I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant episode [https://youtu.be/J0B7cE84f_M?si=lVTf6BOlaxeQ0k1o] (Mama Doctor Jones YouTube Channel) * Email the Host - Kim Newlove, kim@perrysburgpodcast.com [kim@perrysburgpodcast.com] * Sign up for our weekly newsletter on https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/newsletter [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com] * Follow the podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast]

Fort Meigs Historic Site: What to See and Do with John Thompson

Today's episode is about the Fort Meigs Historic Site, and my guest is John Thompson. He's the Manager of Historic Programming and Head of Interpretation at Fort Meigs Historic Site. If you've ever driven past it and thought, I should check that out sometime, this episode is for you. In this episode, you'll learn what to see and do at Fort Meigs, what not to miss inside the fort and museum, and how to experience it in a way that really brings history to life. We also talk about how the community uses the space and how to enjoy it while respecting its history. Fort Meigs Historic Site War of 1812 Museum and Reconstructed Wooden Walled Fort 29100 West River Road Perrysburg, Ohio Links from this episode * Fort Meigs Historic Site https://fortmeigs.org/ [https://fortmeigs.org/] * Ohio History Connection https://www.ohiohistory.org/ [https://www.ohiohistory.org/] * War of 1812 Reenactment (Memorial Day Weekend – May 2026) https://fortmeigs.org/memorialday/ [https://fortmeigs.org/memorialday/] * Independence Day Event (July) https://fortmeigs.org/independence/ [https://fortmeigs.org/independence/] * American Revolution Event (August) https://fortmeigs.org/revolution/ [https://fortmeigs.org/revolution/] * Life in Early Ohio (September) https://fortmeigs.org/earlyohio/ [https://fortmeigs.org/earlyohio/] * The Foot of the Rapids Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foot-of-the-rapids/id1508380833 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foot-of-the-rapids/id1508380833] * Email the Host - Kim Newlove, kim@perrysburgpodcast.com [kim@perrysburgpodcast.com] * Sign up for our weekly newsletter on https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/newsletter [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com] * Follow the podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast] 🤝 SUPPORT FORT MEIGS HISTORIC SITE - PERRYSBURG, OH * Volunteer https://fortmeigs.org/volunteer/ [https://fortmeigs.org/volunteer/] * Donate https://fortmeigs.org/donate/ [https://fortmeigs.org/donate/] * Membership information https://fortmeigs.org/membership/ [https://fortmeigs.org/membership/]

Bike trails in and around Perrysburg

Today's episode is about bike trails in and around Perrysburg, OH. I love riding my bike. If you like biking, too, this episode's for you! Best wishes for a safe and fun 2026 bike season. Note: I use the terms bike trail, multi-use path, and multipurpose trail interchangeably in this episode. A list of trails and websites is below. Multipurpose Trails in Perrysburg 1. Chessie Circle Trail at W.W. Knight Nature Preserve 29530 White Road, Perrysburg. To learn more, visit https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/chessie-circle-trail/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/chessie-circle-trail/] 2. Multi-use path along the Maumee River from Hood Park to the backyard of Ft. Meigs Battlefield. 3. Multi-use path that runs from the intersection of Hull Prairie and Roachton Roads to (1) Rivercrest Park, (2) Levis Commons, and (3) the City of Perrysburg Dept of Public Service. 4. Multi-use path along West River Road. It starts at the Fort Meigs Historic Site. Riders can reach the Perrysburg-Maumee Bridge or the multi-use path along the river from this path. Perrysburg Slow Rollers Routes * The Three Meadows Route * The Locust Street Route * The Bicentennial Route * To learn more about the Perrysburg Slow Rollers, visit https://www.facebook.com/PerrysburgSlowRollers [https://www.facebook.com/PerrysburgSlowRollers] * Listen to Episode 95 of The Perrysburg Podcast about the Slow Rollers https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/95 [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/95] Bike Trails outside of Perrysburg * Maumee Tow Path Trail to the Sidecut Metropark multi-use trail * Wabash Cannonball Bike Trail (North Fork or South Fork) https://www.wabashcannonballtrail.org [https://www.wabashcannonballtrail.org] * University/Parks Trail https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/universityparks-trail/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/universityparks-trail/] * Beach Ridge Singletrack Trail in Swanton https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/beach-ridge-singletrack-trail/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/beach-ridge-singletrack-trail/] * Slippery Elm Bike Trail from Bowling Green to North Baltimore https://wcparks.org [https://wcparks.org] * North Coast Inland Trail between Elmore and Bellevue. https://www.lovemyparks.com/parks/north-coast-inland-trail [https://www.lovemyparks.com/parks/north-coast-inland-trail] * Tow Path Trail from Waterville to Grand Rapids. https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/towpath-trail/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/trails/towpath-trail/] * Tow Path Trail at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Akron, OH) and the "Bike Aboard Program" https://www.cvsr.org/explorer-program [https://www.cvsr.org/explorer-program] Bike Shops 1. Wersell's Bike Shop in Toledo, OH https://wersellsbikeshop.com/ [https://wersellsbikeshop.com/] 2. Spoke Life Cycles in Maumee, OH https://spokelifecycles.com/ [https://spokelifecycles.com/] 3. Cyclewerks in Whitehouse, OH https://www.shopcyclewerks.com/ [https://www.shopcyclewerks.com/] Parks Mentioned * Bend View Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Blue Creek Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Cannonball Prairie Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Fallen Timbers Battlefield Park https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Fallen Timbers Monument Park https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Farnsworth Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Glass City Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Mary Jane Thurston State Park https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/mary-jane-thurston-state-park [https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/mary-jane-thurston-state-park] * Maumee Bay State Park https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/maumee-bay-state-park [https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/maumee-bay-state-park] * Oak Openings Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Providence Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Roche de Bout Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] * Wildwood Metropark https://metroparkstoledo.com/ [https://metroparkstoledo.com/] Other links from this episode * If You Give a Mouse a Cookie [https://gatheringvolumes.com/item/bkqwVjuGlVj0EBh4vzYmww] by Laura Numeroff * I Can Shine (formerly Lose the Training Wheels) https://icanshine.org/programs/camp-locations/ [https://icanshine.org/programs/camp-locations/] This program helps special needs riders around age 8. * See where other Perrysburg residents ride: https://www.bikemap.net/en/l/5166516/ [https://www.bikemap.net/en/l/5166516/] * Email the Host - Kim Newlove, kim@perrysburgpodcast.com [kim@perrysburgpodcast.com] * Sign up for our weekly newsletter on https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com/newsletter [https://www.perrysburgpodcast.com] * Follow the podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@perrysburgpodcast]