ASHLAND — A wolf with penetrating amber eyes and dark fur visited downtown Ashland on Friday.
His name is Lucian — he’s 13-years-old and has no teeth.
The wolf was the only animal present during United Way of Ashland County’s first “Fun Friday! at Foundation Plaza” of the season — unless you count the bronze animal statues that served as seating apparatuses for the nearly 350 people crammed into the outdoor, downtown meeting space.
For 15 years United Way of Ashland County has put on the free summer program geared for kids. Once a month through August, the organization descends onto Foundation Plaza from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Free food, treats, books, bubbles and entertainment with an educational twist are all part of the program.
“We want to make sure that kids have free opportunities to interact and get materials and resources and have fun and prevent the ‘summer slide’ that can happen with reading. And so this is a great way to do that,” said Stacy Schiemann, United Way of Ashland County’s executive director.
Fun Fridays historically have happened on Corner Park in Ashland. With construction there over the last couple years, the organization moved it further east on Main Street to Foundation Plaza.
“It’s worked out great,” she said of the new venue.
On Friday, it was all about wolves, said Rachel Lauren Robertson, the owner of Ohio Canid Center. Lucian is about to retire. He has been with her since the organization’s launch in 2010.
A canid is defined as any mammal that is part of the dog family. That includes wolves, jackals, foxes, coyotes, and the domestic dog.
“He actually doesn’t have teeth,” she said to the captivated audience. “He had a medical condition and so they took out all of his teeth. But he still eats meat, I cut it up into pieces for him.”
Lucian is one of six Ohio Canid Center ambassador animals, which are bred specifically for educational programs and zoos. They are trained and socialized to “help promote conservation and better understanding of wildlife,” according to the center’s website.
The Ohio Canid Center has three other wolves besides Lucian, a coyote named Clyde and a red fox named Rigby.
For more information on Ohio Canid Center, visit the website.
The next Fun Friday! at Foundation Plaza is scheduled for July 7. The last will be on Aug. 4. Both events are held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
