By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Over the past few weeks, Trillium Event Center has dipped its toes in the waters of becoming an event center. Now, the doors are ready to be flung wide and the staff is ready to welcome Crawford County to its newest home for special occasions.
The public had its first glimpse of Trillium during a grand opening event on Aug. 22 and so far the reactions were exactly what the Trillium staff were looking for.
“It’s great,” said Dick Gervais, supervisor of food and facilities for the Crawford County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He also took a leading role in putting the Trillium puzzle together. “We’ve heard so many good compliments. We’ve had a few events in here, mostly our in-house type events like an in-service and our appreciation dinner and so on.
“We’re hearing how this was something Crawford County really needed,” Gervais added. “That’s all well and good; now we need to have people step up and rent it.”
Gervais gave a special tour of the facility to Crawford County Now. The video of that tour can be seen below.
The first wedding booked at Trillium will take place on Oct. 17.
“We’re fired up about that,” Gervais said. “We have other little things coming up. I just talked to a lady today about booking a dinner for 120 people in November. Have some weddings already in the books for next summer so things are starting to happen.
Gervais said it has been two long years since the group involved in creating Trillium started researching the feasibility of an event center at the former county home.
“It was a great journey and this is obviously a class facility,” he said.
As part of Crawford County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Trillium will function much like the Delectables Concession Stand at Aumiller Park. People with disabilities will be able to help set up and tear down for things like weddings, board meetings, and even a possible cooking school.
Gervais said in a prior interview with Crawford County Now that it was their hope that those with disabilities will be able to take the training they get from Trillium and become direct hires for the event center or be able to find similar work in the community.
Chris Hysell is one such individual who is taking advantage of the opportunities offered by Trillium. Hysell graduated from Pioneer Career and Technology’s culinary school and is using those skills for prep work in Trillium’s kitchen.
Hysell said it was “really awesome” to be a part of Trillium and is excited about participating in kitchen prep work for events. He’s even looking to host his wedding there next summer.
The Board of Developmental Disabilities launched a website for the Trillium Event Center, thanks in part to the Bucyrus High School’s DECA class and A-1 Printing.
“The beginnings of it was put together by Jeff Funigiello and his DECA class at Bucyrus High School,” Gervias said. “They built the first five pages – did a super job – then we hired a company to do our host and domains and all that. That’s A-1 Printing here in town. They were so impressed with Jeff’s class . . . at how well they did.”
The website can be found at www.trilliumeventcenter.com.
Trillium will also be hitting the social media platforms. Already they have a Facebook page set up (which can be found here) and have plans for Twitter and Instagram accounts.
“All the booking information is online,” Gervais said. “We even have a link in which you can download and print the rental application and the rental agreement.”
Gervais is also available by phone at 419-562-3211 extension 148 at the Crawford County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Trillium Event Center is located at 1630 E. Southern Ave., Bucyrus.
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