The only trace of green or yellow to be found was the 100 paper ducks, which were soon to be sacrificed in the name of charity. Everywhere else, it was scarlet and gray as far as the eye could see. On the jerseys. And the hats. And the bar stools. And the posters.
In continuation of the city of Oregon’s temporary amendment to its name last week, there was also no question Monday night which team the crowd was rooting for at the Bihn home. About 100 people gathered at the Oregon residence to cheer on the Buckeyes on the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship.
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In addition to the free-flowing beverages and cheese dip, the evening had an altruistic purpose. A 100-square fund-raiser pool benefited four local charities as participants picked the score at every quarter. Each charity — Vail Meadows Therapy Riding, St. Kateri Catholic Schools, Oregon Schools Foundation, and New Harvest Christian Food for Thought — took home 80 percent of one quarter’s winnings.
“We were always going to have a party,” said host Mike Bihn, who owns the house adjacent to the evening’s locale with his son, Dayne.
For the day, the city changed its name to “Oregon, Ohio Buckeyes on the Bay, City of Duck Hunters.”
Party organizers, including the father-son duo, and eight or nine other people, brought the idea to fruition, taking the community spirit built by the name change fervor to do some good.
Phantom Fireworks donated fireworks for a show that kicked off about 45 minutes before the game upon the arrival of Oregon Mayor Mike Seferian, who came from a council meeting. Councilman Terry Reeves attended the session dressed as a duck hunter.
“We moved the meeting up an hour to get in and get out,” Mr. Seferian said. “But it’s the first meeting of the year. We have to pay the bills and get down to business.”
The fervor around the city’s name change has made Mr. Seferian a popular man. He estimated he’s done 140 interviews for media across the country.
As the minutes before kickoff ticked down, the mood was jubilant. Mark Bogue, the elder Mr. Bihn’s college roommate, made the trip from Columbus to watch the game in Oregon. Or “Not Oregon.”
“Columbus is the heart of Buckeye Nation,” he said. “But this is the perfect place to watch the game.”
Contact Lauren Lindstrom at llindstrom@theblade.com, 419-724-6154, or on Twitter @lelindstrom.
First Published January 13, 2015, 5:00 a.m.
