The Area Agency on Aging spread holiday cheer today. The Elderly Day Care Center held a Christmas party event for the seniors along with the music therapy program at the Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution. The members of the music therapy program joined the party via Zoom chat and sang popular holiday songs and carols to get in the spirit of Christmas. The seniors were also presented gifts such as blankets and mittens or hats.

A final report from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections into the escape of two inmates from the Oakwood-Allen Correctional Institution in late May has been released. That report indicates mistakes were made, correctives measures taken and disciplinary action is ongoing.

An organization called “Ensuring Parole for Incarcerated Citizens,” or EPIC, travels to different prisons across the state to push for parole reform. On Saturday, they were protesting outside of the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima. 

A change of plans has allowed employees of the Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution to give back this holiday season. Normally those employees would be preparing for their annual Christmas feast, but this year they will be donating the money to the Lima community. The warden and his staff presented checks of $2,500 to the West Ohio Food Bank and the Veterans Food Pantry. They also donated $1,000 to Allen County Children Services. The money is raised every year through vending machine purchases and other employee programs. The employee activity committee made the decision to put the money to better use.