Yellow Springs kicked off the beginning of 2020, as always, with the traditional ball drop overseen by Lance Rudegeair; MTFR personnel handed out hot cocoa, and at least one marriage proposal greeted the new year. The Reach Out Free Clinic, which was held each Tuesday evening at Central Chapel AME Church, celebrated a year of operation in early January. The free, donation-based clinic, a satellite location of Reach Out Dayton, closed due to the pandemic in March; the Dayton location shuttered permanently later in the year. Nan Harshaw, longtime chair of the MLK Day Planning Committee, was awarded the annual Peacemaker Award at the 2020 Martin Luther King Day celebration. The late Willa Dallas was also recognized for her civil rights efforts and her role in initiating the annual local event.
In January, the News reported on efforts to alleviate previous delays in drug orders and other difficulties at Benzer Pharmacy, formerly Town Drug. A regional manager for the national pharmacy chain pointed to issues with the company’s wholesaler related to new acquisitions of pharmacy locations in Ohio. The local pharmacy has since regained its footing, and in November, the downtown store a pharmacy location for about 90 years changed its name to Yellow Springs Pharmacy. Clem & Thyme Nutrition and Wellness expanded its East Enon Road practice, the News reported in February. Founded by Leslie Edmunds, the practice offers nutrition therapy, dietary consulting, cooking classes and more.
“It is not what we have but what we share.” The words of 19th century Yellow Springs resident Wheeling Gaunt, a formerly enslaved man who bought his freedom, have inspired generations of villagers. Gaunt’s generosity also perseveres in a 126-year-old tradition of the delivery of flour to local widows and widowers at the holidays a stipulation in Gaunt’s will when he bequeathed the land that is now Gaunt Park to the Village. This year’s distribution took place at the end of November. Village public works crew members purchased $3,000 of flour (and sugar, which was later added) from Tom’s Market and staked out routes across town to deliver the baking supplies. This year, 125 widows and widowers were on the list, 54 of whom had requested that their gift be passed on to the Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry.