MOUNT GILEAD- Every month of the year you can see a happy group of travelers climbing aboard a bus at the Kroger parking lot in Mount Gilead. They’re bound for a destination somewhere as close as Holmes County or as far as Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The leader of that friendly group named “Happy Wanderers” is Linda Ruehrmund, a retired teacher, who has each trip organized with a meal and all arrangements made for a day trip that is both fun and educational.

“I want everyone to get out as they can and see things other than their usual surroundings,” Ruehrmund said.

The adventures this spring have included Amish Country Theater, Harding Presidential sites in Marion, Collingsworth Family concert in Hartville, Ohio, the Golden Lamb in Lebanon and murals in Franklin, Ohio.

The June trip started in Franklin Park Conservatory with a guided tour of the topiary garden and Paul Buffy trains. A hot shot glass blowing demonstration followed at the conservatory. After lunch, the group visited the Jack Nicklaus museum with a stop for Graeter’s ice cream to top off the excursion.

Ruehrmund said she first started traveling with her mother and was soon planning trips for her church, St. John Lutheran Windfall, near Cardington. She retired from teaching in Columbus City Schools in 1996 after teaching on the east side of Columbus in elementary schools grades four, five, and six at Scottwood, Olde Orchard, and Shady Lane.

What began as a vacation for her and her mother continued with trips for the church and evolved into the Happy Wanderers as people invited family and friends and reached into the surrounding community.

Ruehrmund reserves coach buses that are comfortable and handicapped accessible, so people can enjoy the bus trip as well as the destination.

Although she has enjoyed many ‘adventures’ over the past 25 years, she named “Sight and Sound” in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as a favorite. Sight and Sound is a Christian theater producing musical programs with biblical themes. The stage is a panoramic set with special effects of light and sound with live animals.

Coming trips planned for 2022:

*August 11 (Thursday) Remembering Red Skeleton, Hartville Kitchen matinee.

*September 29-October 1, Sight and Sounds presents “David” in Lancaster, PA, Apple Valley Theater, wolves’ preservation, Elva’s chalk studio and four meals.

*October 6 (Thursday) Johnny Cash at Amish Door in Wilmot, Ohio

*November 9 (Wednesday) Jingle Jangle at Salt Fork. Lunch with live performance by Vigor from Branson, MO, guided tour of Dickens Village and stocking stuffer tour of Cambridge with shopping time.

*December 7 (Wednesday) “White Christmas” matinee at LaComedia in Springboro.

For more details and costs of each trip Ruehrmund can be reached at 419-864-7520.

Some of the Happy Wanderers group at the Franklin Park Conservatory in June with the Buffalo in the Topiary Garden.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2022/07/web1_PXL_20220622_145312078.jpgSome of the Happy Wanderers group at the Franklin Park Conservatory in June with the Buffalo in the Topiary Garden. Alberta Stojkovic Aim Media Midwest

Linda Ruehrmund in the center with Happy Wanderers on the porch of the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, Ohio.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2022/07/web1_PXL_20220525_180941889_exported_732.jpgLinda Ruehrmund in the center with Happy Wanderers on the porch of the Golden Lamb in Lebanon, Ohio. Alberta Stojkovic Aim Media Midwest

By Alberta Stojkovic

For the Sentinel