TRAXLER FAMILY … Gathering for a meal with the county maple syrup producers ended in a surprise recognition plaque for Tom Traxler. His family was present to enjoy the moment with him. L to r, son Dave, Tom, wife Joni and daughter Heather. (PHOTOS BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
Ever since the Williams County Maple Syrup Education Day began and the maple syrup producers of Williams County stepped up to be the teachers, they have enjoyed a lunchtime together that day.
This year that day was held on March 10, 2022, with the producers teaching 108 in the morning session and 162 in the afternoon. Needless to say, they needed that lunch break together at noon.
Jeff Dick, whose family has produced maple syrup for years, and Anne Marie Michaels, who organized the event, pulled off a great surprise during the lunch time.
About twenty were present to enjoy pizza, creamed chicken sandwiches, donuts and brownies, while catching up on the news with each other.
Before time to head back out to the Sugar Shack area to get ready for the second group of students, Jeff Dick stood up and made a little speech.
“We decided we wanted to recognize the person that really founded our group and our event. We put it on hold for a few years, but now that we can get out and do these things again, we wanted to make this presentation today.
The plaque we have here says, ‘In recognition of your vision to create the Williams County Maple Syrup Breakfast in 1992, which grew into the organization of the Northwest Ohio Maple Syrup Producers and the Annual Maple Syrup Festival, presented this 10th day of March 2022 to Tom Traxler.’”
HONORING THE STARTER … All these Williams County maple syrup producers were present at the luncheon on March 10, 2022 when they proudly presented a recognition plaque to Tom Traxler. Traxler got the ball rolling for this group back in 1992. Front row – Bobby Turner, Tom Traxler, Barry Brown, Rodney Laukhuf, and Mark dye; back row – Scott Dye, Jeff Dick, Lamar Dick and Gary Smith.
Traxler stood up to accept the recognition plaque. Dick continued with a little more history of the organization…in 1992 they had about 40 people show up for the first gathering which was held at Jeff’s parents place; the next year they had about 100 at Don Martin’s and they had John’s Donuts.
The third year they decided to have pancakes to go with maple syrup and “that blew up” Dick said. Traxler added that it seemed to make sense and they thought maybe 250 people would show up, but the weather was great and over 650 showed up!
“We were cutting sausages in two, washing Styrofoam plates, and nobody complained,” he said with a chuckle.
The next year they went to Leon Shoups which had a bigger parking area, but at that point they realized that with the muddy season they needed somewhere that people could park more easily.
They began at the Fairgrounds in Montpelier in 1996 and now they serve around 1750-1800 for breakfast and up to 2300 for the festival.
The group found the evaporator in 1996, put it on a trailer and would pull it up to demonstrate how to boil down sap, during the Maple Syrup Festival. In 2004, the Land Preservation Project built the Sugar shack and they moved it indoors.
Jeff thanked Tom for his vision and gave him the plaque. “I never did this for recognition,” Traxler said. “The biggest thing through all this is watching families as the older family members talk about what they remember.
At one time there were a lot of sugar shacks throughout the county and everyone would get together and have a good time. It is part of history that people don’t know and they can learn here.”
The group gave him a hearty round of applause and the producers joined him and his family for a photo shoot. Truly a large piece of Williams County History was celebrated this day.
Rebecca can be reached at rebecca@thevillagereporter.com