By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Younger generations could learn a thing or two from people like Charlie Evers. Bringing 79 years of life experiences with him, Evers spoke Thursday night at Lowe-Volk Nature Center about life along the Sandusky River, as well as his stamp on history with a groundhog named Buckeye Chuck.
Getting his start in amateur radio at age 13, Evers said he was hired by a Marion radio station in 1949, the first year that Marion had a county fair since World War II had ended. It wasn’t long before Evers was promoted to the farm director at the station.
Evers recounted that while being the farm director for the Marion radio station he took an interest to a local animal many considered a nuisance.
“I saw a groundhog next door to the radio station and watched it every year come out,” Evers said. “And it got so popular in Marion that we went to the Legislature and we got him officially (named) Buckeye Chuck as Ohio’s weather forecaster.”
While showing an antique pair of ice skates Evers explained that he ice skated on the Sandusky River often, and dreamed of ice skating to Crestline. Evers said that the river was a big part of his life, and recounted when the river flooded Bucyrus in 1939.
“I can remember the river rising further and further each day until it reached the first floor of the house, and we were on higher ground,” Evers said.
Evers also recounted fishing in the Sandusky and catching rock bass, as well as mud puppies.
Closing out his presentation, Evers recounted recovering the Lady Justice statue that sits on top of Marion’s courthouse in 1980. Evers explained that a woman had called into the station offering $300 to Evers if he could find it. It was found in the possession of the president of Marion’s Historical Society at the time.
Throughout the two hours Evers told many tales and experiences of his life. While speaking, Evers kept echoing that all it takes is to have an interest in things, and to follow those interests.