From the Mayor
By: Gary Griffith
740.768.2632
After the past couple of months, who’s ready for spring? I know I am! With the snow and cold weather hanging around, this has been an old-fashioned winter like we always had growing up in the 60’s!
With the snowstorm we had on January 25, 2026 I want to express a giant gratitude of thanks to Ronnie Gower and Clint Carpenter for stepping in and cleaning the streets in my absence. Also, a big Thank You to the JCW&SD for fixing the numerous water breaks the Village has been plagued with so far in 2026.
In this edition of the bi-monthly Newsletter, you will find the 2026 budget for the Village. It shows what revenue is received by the Village, and where it’s appropriated to.
With May being Village Cleanup month, this year it’s actually going to be on Thursday, April 30, 2026. This is the day designated by the JB Green Team for Springfield Twp. Cleanup Day. This year tires will be accepted on site. The time is 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Springfield Township Garage at 724 Monroe Street in Bergholz.
As we had asked last year for Village Residents to please bring your unwanted items to the Township Garage to dispose of. If you are not able to do that, please have your items out by the street the morning of April 30, by 9:00 AM and someone will pick it up. The JB Green Team will have people on site to help unload your vehicle. If for some reason you’re unavailable in the daytime on the 30th to dispose of your unwanted items, please contact me and we will make arrangements to get you taken care of.
With spring on the way, please be aware of all the little ones out and about on their bicycles and traveling back and forth to the parks and their friends!
Remember Bergholz is an ATV friendly Village, and you can purchase an ATV sticker to be legal on Village Streets by calling the Village Office at 740-768-2200 to purchase a sticker.
As always, a big Thank You to all Village Residents both past and present for what you do to make Bergholz the envy of the Valley!
Mayor Gary Griffith
Bergholz Community Foundation
By: Nikki Klein
Spring is almost here! I don’t know about you, but I am more than ready to welcome spring. This has been a long winter! The cold days, icy mornings, and endless gray skies have certainly made us appreciate the warmth and brightness that’s just around the corner.
The Foundation is pleased to once again offer scholarships for the 2025–2026 school year. This is a wonderful opportunity to support students in our community. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must meet one of the following criteria: be a 2026 graduate of Edison High School or Edison JVS; be a 2026 private or home school graduate who resides in the Edison Local School District; be a non-traditional student—defined as a past graduate of Edison High School seeking a first-time associate or undergraduate degree or technical training; or be any high school graduate who resides within the Edison Local School District. This scholarship is a one-time award.
For more information and to apply, visit https://bergholzfoundation.org
,where the application can be completed online or downloaded and printed. Edison students may also contact their guidance counselor for details. Applications are due April 10, 2026. We are proud to help support the next chapter of growth for the students in our community.
Construction on the library interior and courtyard is progressing smoothly and on schedule. We’re excited to share that plans are underway for a grand opening and dedication ceremony this summer—stay tuned for more details as we prepare to celebrate this exciting milestone together!
Our funding supports programs that make a difference in our community, including civic, cultural, health, social service, educational, literary, and scientific initiatives. If your organization is working to strengthen and serve our community, we encourage you to apply. Grants are available to organizations that qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our grant applications are available on our website. https://bergholzfoundation.org
Reminder: Community Healthcare is seeing patients right here in Bergholz. To schedule an appointment with Mallory Puckett, CNP, please call 330-854-2510 or 740-768-1001. Mallory is available in Bergholz on Thursdays.
WEBA Food Pantry
By: Amy Garcia
After 19 years of dedicated service, commitment, and hard work, WEBA Food Pantry would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ann Wiley upon her retirement with us. Throughout the years, Ann has been a steady presence and a true example of kindness and integrity. Her dedication will not be forgotten. We wish Ann good health, happiness, and plenty of time with family and friends. May you enjoy all the things that were put on hold while working so hard for others.
Thank You Ann, for the years of service and the legacy you leave behind. You have big shoes to fill. and I hope we make you proud. You will be truly missed and always remembered.
With gratitude and best wishes,
WEBA Food Pantry
The WEBA Food Pantry continues to serve approximately 150 families each month, providing much-needed food to those facing hunger in our community. We are deeply grateful for the continued generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers, whose support makes this work possible. Donations are always welcome from anyone who would like to donate to support this important cause, Contributions may be mailed to PO Box 265 Amsterdam Ohio 43903. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our neighbors.
Remember to bring your card! Produce is the 3rd Friday of each month and Pantry is the 4th Saturday of each month.
East Springfield Community Recreation & Service Center
By: Sue Call 740.543.3700
It’s a new year, and it’s time to start our monthly dinners once again. Our first dinner of 2026 is Thursday, March 19th. The time is 4-6:00 pm. Our March menu is Cabbage Rolls, mashed potatoes, applesauce, bread, drink, and dessert. The cost will be $12.00. Come join us for a filling dinner and visit with your neighbors. We sure could use extra help during these meals. Let me know if you are available or just show up to help! Join us for our monthly dinners. They are the second Thursday of each month. April 9th will be our next dinner.
Plans are already underway for the Memorial Day Parade. It will be Monday, May 25th. More details will be in the next Newsletter and on Facebook. Save the date!
The Center is available to rent. Please contact me for prices and availability.
Average Moe’s Gym
By: Samantha Sheldon 330-760-0349.
We hope you’ve been staying healthy and warm this winter and reaching your goals this 2026. This is our first submission to the newsletter, so we just wanted to tell you a little bit about the gym and what we have to offer.
We are located at 1000 Jefferson St. Bergholz, OH in the building formerly known as the Bergholz Church of Christ. We have a cardio room with treadmills, a rower, an elliptical, and a stationary bike. The gym area is loaded with equipment like squat racks, cable machines, leg machines, and a large range of free weights.
We offer classes at the gym 6 days a week. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:00 am, we host a Senior Fit class with a focus on strength, range of motion, and balance. On Tuesdays at 6:00 pm we offer a Power Fit class which is a full-body cardio workout that blends boxing inspired moves with strength exercises. On Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm we have a Walk Fit class that combines low-impact cardio and dance. Lastly, on Saturday mornings at 8:30 am we hold a Power Fit class that is slower, go at your own pace, strength class with rotating stations.
Monthly membership is $30 and due the first day of the month. Membership gets you 24/7 access to the gym and entry into all the classes. If you decide a membership just isn’t for you, you are welcome to drop in for a $5 day pass. If you have any questions, feel free to call 330-760-0349.
Stronger bodies, stronger community – that’s what we’re building at our gym!
Independence Day 2026
The town of Bergholz is currently planning to have the Fourth of July parade, and we are already looking ahead with excitement!
This year, instead of ending at the Fire House, the Foundation would love to host the parade finale at the end of 2nd Street, at the future home of our new library!
We think this could be such a special way to celebrate our community while highlighting what’s ahead for Bergholz.
There will be more information in the May/June Newsletter!
Christ Walk 2026
By: Amanda Thompson
740.381.7741
The Christ Walk 2026 will begin with a brief service on Good Friday, April 3rd at noon at the Sycamore Youth Center 301 North Fourth Street Steubenville and after that the walk to Crossroads Christian Church 110 Springdale Avenue Wintersville will begin as we carry the cross through town and set our hearts on Christ in preparation for Easter. This is a community walk of faith, reflection, prayer, and unity as we honor Good Friday. All denominations included. Please contact Amanda with any questions.
Let’s Fight Together Outreach
By: T.J. Anderson
740.512.3278 740.543.4353
letsfighttogether58@gmail.com
Hey there. How’s everyone?
I’m TJ Anderson and I’m putting on a Rogers Park Flea Market Saturday, August 8th 10am-5pm. The Amsterdam Council and Mayor have given me permission and their blessings to do this, and I appreciate them very much allowing me to do so.
All the proceeds that come from this event will go to Let’s Fight Together, Jefferson County United Way, Amsterdam Fire Department, Amsterdam VFW, and the Edison Baseball/Softball Youth Association.
We want to have 40-50 Vendors and Food trucks at this event, someone making hot dogs and drinks for donation only, a gun raffle, and 50/50. Someone is coming to make Rogers Park Flea Market T-shirts. I’m also going to have a basketball shoot out contest for kids and big kids.
We have some fun things planned. This Flea Market will have a lot of support from the community.
One thing we must get started with is advertising. I’m looking for donations to help me advertise for the Flea Market and make it successful. If you would like to donate, it would be appreciated!
Any check donations can be written to Let’s Fight Together.
Thomas Anderson
TJ ANDERSON
Address 8258 State Route 646 Bloomingdale Ohio 43910.
Email letsfighttogether58@gmail.com
740 512 3278
PayPal letsfighttogether58@yahoo.com
Venmo 740 512 3278
Something to Think About
By: Dave Miller
Recently I have been preaching a series of sermons based on I Corinthians 13 in the New Testament. This is one of the great chapters of the Bible. Its theme is love. The writer, the Apostle Paul, emphasizes love as a significant quality of our lives, both in our human relationships and our relationship with God. Paul tells us that unless we are walking through life with this quality of love, we are simply taking up space and making useless sounds.
The word that Paul uses for love indicates a willingness to love. It is God’s John 3:16 love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” In John 17:25 it describes the love the Father has for the Son.
In March 2001 I was at PCH in Pittsburgh with my granddaughter who at one year of age was going to have an MRI. At four days of age an MRI revealed she had had had a stroke. Now at one year, her doctors want a follow up examination. In the room with us was a couple with a five-year-old son, Bobby. Bobby had an injured right leg. When it was time for Bobby to be released, the nurse asked Dad if he wanted a wheelchair. “Oh, no,” replied the father, “I’ll carry him myself.” Folks, let me tell you that the father’s love for his son overflowed in his reply to the nurse.
That describes God’s love for us. I John 4:8 says, “God is love. “That’s where it all begins. In love the Father has given us command and teachings to obey and follow. Sometimes they are difficult. Especially like Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies.” Most of the time we would just like to blow them to smithereens rather than pray for them or act kindly toward them.
The best place to practice God’s love is in our homes. Consider the relationships. Husband – wife, wife – husband, children, parents, brothers and sisters. Peter Marshall was Chaplain of the U.S. Senate who died at the early age of 48. In his writings he called marriage “the highest of human relationships.”
Paul writes of practical ways we can demonstrate our love. I will list a few today and add more in the next issue of the Newsletter.
“Love is Patient” The last Sunday of December 1985 I began a ministry with the Jewett Church in NY. I talked about patience. Our daughter Mindy was with us that morning. On the way home she asked her mother, “Mom, is it true that Dad was once less patient than he is now?’ “Ouch!”
My understanding is that Paul is talking about our relationship with people rather than circumstances. Does this refer to our families, the store clerk, the waitress, the cashier? Who of us knows what’s going on in their lives, where our patience or a silent word of prayer may be a blessing.
Then Paul tells us that “Love is Kind” Love is energetic. It gives itself away in kindness. Henry Drummond had said “The greatest thing a man can do for His heavenly father is to be kind to some of His other children.”
To be continued in the next issue.
Trinity United Presbyterian
By: Pastor Steve Jenkins
740.768.2511
So, it begins 2026. The new year has begun with the weather outside seeming to be a main topic of discussion among us, along with that same weather bringing limitations to what we are able to do each day. Yet we enter Lent knowing that spring is soon to come and with it, decisions about what we anticipate and look forward to in 2026. It is a time for renewal, growth, reflection, and the opportunity to determine what attitude we will use to face and move forward with it. The time of Lent which means spring, allows us to reflect on the past and be accountable to ourselves and to God for our past failures and success.
We at Trinity Presbyterian are looking forward to a new and better year with the addition of a Bible study group that is meeting each Tuesday at 6:00 pm in the church and invite everyone to join us. We believe it is more important than ever to search the true calling of Christ is specifically for each of us and how to best accomplish those works for him as his followers and as true believers in the Faith. We want to study on what Christ’s teachings are and how he has called us to truly live by his teachings and to have our lives be a living example and testimony. We must remember that Jesus was not neutral, He sided with the sick, the poor and the immigrant. As we look at the front of our sanctuary there are two flags. The flag of the United States and the Flag of the Christian Church. The flag of the United States represents the unification of all citizens with a guaranteed right to worship freely, in any that will help us to better understand our Faith and bring positive results to a hurting community and world. This nation was established with religious freedom for all, being one of the main driving forces, no matter what our belief. Some have misinterpreted tolerance to mean accepting only their own beliefs, which frequently leads to divisions by nationality, race, or ethnicity. I would remind you that the biggest difference between these two flags is that one represents a country and a specific group of persons who are members of that group, it represents an area that has physical boarders and is governed by people whether they are believers in a faith or have no faith at all. The laws they enact can be laws of segregation and division, but the Christian flag is a flag that represents no physical borders and represents a form of discipline that was given to us by God through the Lord Jesus Christ It requires that we see each other as brothers and sisters and requires each of us to reach out to care for the sick, lift up the poor and welcome the immigrant and share with them the love that Jesus offers freely. It does not, require them to accept it, however if we are a true role model of Christ to them the outcome will have a much better chance of success.
We will not all agree on every issue, but we must make our standing clear, heard and understand and use the criticism by our friends and neighbors to determine if our reasoning is based on the teachings of Jesus. Criticism is not a reason to resort to hate simply because we disagree but rather see it as an opportunity to open a dialogue which God will use to bring us all closer to his desire of how and what we should be by demonstrating the love he gave freely by paying our debt on the cross.
Bergholz Fellowship /Chestnut Ridge Churches
By: Pastor Lee Iden
330-205-1732
Well, it LOOKS like the brutal winter season MAY be coming to a close…maybe. This has been a winter to remember! This has been a winter like we USED to have! Back in the day when we had to walk up hill…through the snow…both ways to and from school…NAH! I rode a bus. But you get the point! It’s been a GOOD winter!
We at Bergholz Fellowship and Chestnut Ridge Church have had a really good season! It’s been a season of helping those less fortunate; a season of giving to the greater good of God’s perfect will and a season of being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in a hurting world! By the time you read this, Mark Allen Chapman will have already visited us with his gift of music. Friends, if you’ve never heard him, HE IS AMAZING! He has a great voice and such a heart for the Lord!
Also, we had a guest fill-in pastor back in February. I needed to be out of the pulpit for a Sunday, and a very good friend took my place that day. Dante is the pastor at the New Garden Methodist Church and is an aspiring evangelist! Dante has been on several mission trips already; one to Japan, one to Spain is coming up as is one to Italy! The man just has a great heart for bringing the Word of God to the people! AND HE’S GOOD AT IT! One day soon, Dante will be at least a part time missionary working for Men for Missions, a ministry of ONEMISSION and I’m excited for him!
Also, over the past couple of months, we have been supporting the Friendship Room in Steubenville with clothing, boots, gloves, hats and other winter apparel and the other day, we got together and made PB&J sandwiches! IT WAS GREAT! Loved it! We started out with a goal of 40 sandwiches and finished with 65 because that’s where the bread and the peanut butter and the jelly ran out! We sure had fun and thank you to all of you who helped in feeding the hungry!
Ash Wednesday has come and gone since we spoke last, and I ALWAYS enjoy this season! It is hard to believe that as I sit in my office and write this, Easter, EASTER, is only 40 days off! The significance of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us is undeniable! Without His precious gift of giving Himself up for your sin, for MY SIN, we would be LOST! I pray that God has touched you with this wonderful appreciation of the Easter season!
We are an independent, non-denominational church, if you don’t have a church home, come, join us for a worship service. We are not fancy, there is no dress code, you don’t have to do anything special or be anything special; just come and worship with our small congregation. We’d love to have you with us! We worship every Sunday morning at 11:00am, even numbered months at Bergholz Fellowship Church, 266 2nd Street Bergholz, Ohio and odd numbered months at Chestnut Ridge Church, 1177 Cinder Rd. SE, Bergholz, Ohio.
Hope to see you soon.
Shalom Pastor Lee
Village of Bergholz
2026 Budget
Revenues
Property Taxes
$75,638.00
State Assistance
$17,400.00
Other
$21,500.00
Interest
$3,425
Rent
$10,338.48
Donations
$57,500.00
Fuel Taxes
$24,300.00
License Fees
$11,800.00
Reimbursements
$ N/A
Total
$231,901.48
Certificate of Estimated Resources
General Fund – Taxes
$75,638.00
General Fund – Other
$106,238.48
Special Revenue Fund – Other
$50,025.00
Total
$231,901.48
Special Revenue Fund
Fire Levy
$5,758.00
EMS Levy
$12,885.00
Total
$18,643.00
Taxes
$94,281.00
Other Sources
$156,263.48
Appropriations
2026 Budget
Contracted Services
$4,250.00
Software and Audit Fee
$1,416.00
Grounds Maintenance
$8,619.70
Internet and Phone
$8,398.80
Local Share Paving
$N/A
Other Financing Uses
$82,000.00
Police Operating Supplies
$9,000.00
Police Salaries
$19,395.00
Police Repairs and Maintenance
$5,000.00
Street Lights
$16,200.00
Street Supplies
$5,000.00
Street Maintenance
$30,000.00
Tax Collection Fees
$2,500.00
Utilities
$5,477.00
Village Backhoe Payments
$ N/A
Village Office Supplies
$1,500.00
Village Salaries
$21,733.98
Total
$220,491.68
BVFD Levy Proceeds
$5,500.00
BEMS Levy Proceeds
$12,750.00
Other Financing Uses
Sidewalk & Curb Replacement Northside of 2nd Street between Washington & Jefferson
$65,000.000
Village Insurance
$10,257.50
Other Expenses
$6,742.50
Total
$82,000.00
March
6th – World Day of Prayer
8th – Daylight Saving Time Begins
17th – St. Patrick’s Day
20th – Spring Begins
29th – Palm Sunday
April
1st – April Fool’s Day
2nd – Maundy Thursday
3rd – Good Friday
5th – Easter
16th – Orthodox Easter
15th – Tax Day
22nd – Earth Day
28th – Arbor Day
30th – Village Clean Up Day
Bergholz Community Yard Sale
By: Ruth Ann Kirkman
I know this seems early, but guess what? Bergholz Community Yard Sale is coming June 5 & 6. With warmer weather coming soon, clean out your garages, basements, bedroom, rooms and many, many other spaces. If you want to be on the list, please DM me on Facebook!
Happy hunting or should I say happy cleaning.
Deadline for the May/June Newsletter is Friday April 17th.
