Hello Randy,

Although November through January are the least sunny months in Toledo, we at Glass City Community Solar (GCCS) remain enthusiastic about past accomplishments and new opportunities alike. The new Inflation Reduction Act offers new opportunities for GCCS to partner with Toledo area communities, and we have set new goals to expand our impact by focusing on service and education to promote equitable and sustainable development. Below, you'll read about some new team members from the University of Toledo, a GCCS trip to Solar 2022: Energy Transition With Economic Justice, and a growing collaboration with Metroparks Toledo. We're excited, and hope that you continue to support our mission through donations and volunteer hours. Please stay in touch!

Board and Team Updates: Welcoming New Team Members

As we start 2023, we’re happy to update you on the volunteers working with Glass City Community Solar. After serving from the beginning on the Board of Directors, as Treasurer, Prof. Randy Ellingson (The University of Toledo) has stepped down from the Board but remains actively engaged. In part, the decision was made to allow conflict-free collaboration between UToledo and GCCS on grant proposals seeking support for community and research projects. Randy continues his volunteer work with GCCS, and enjoys the opportunity to support the development of solar projects which benefit the Toledo area’s low income communities.

As of fall of 2022, GCCS now has a student chapter at the University of Toledo! UT students have played a key role in GCCS since its founding in late 2016, when the principal authors on the Solar in Your Community Challenge, which won funding from the US Department of Energy to create GCCS, were UT undergraduate students Blaine Lusczak and Evan Nichols. Now, with support from new GCCS team members, students at UToledo have established a student group by the same name. We’re taking this opportunity to welcome four newer student members of the GCCS team who all began to volunteer in the summer of 2022:  Olivia Osburn, Bailey Frye, Faten Aburidi, and Samietha Kummar.  Needless to say, we are very excited to have these engaged and accomplished students helping us pursue our mission!

Olivia Osburn is a fourth-year undergraduate chemical engineering major from Canton, OH. She enjoys traveling, cooking, and working out. Olivia says, "My favorite part of being in GCCS is being able to make a direct impact on the Toledo community while learning with hands on experience in a field that I am passionate about."

Bailey Frye is a fourth-year physics Ph. D student in photovoltaics from Beaver, PA. He enjoys reading and biking. Bailey says, “GCCS gives me the opportunity to help connect the Toledo area to a cleaner, more sustainable energy solution and see the hands-on application of the subject of my PhD studies.”



Faten Aburidi is a third-year undergraduate mechanical engineering major from Perrysberg, OH. She enjoys board games, walks, playing tennis, working out, and cooking. Faten says, "My favorite part about being in GCCS is our strive to provide efficient sustainability energy to lower income homes. Not only changing the lives of civilians but contributing renewable energy to the world." 

Samietha Kummar is a fourth-year undergraduate chemical engineering major from Sylvania, OH. Samie enjoys cooking, DIY projects, long walks, and picnics in the park. Samie says, "I love learning more about solar and how it is applied in small scale solutions for the betterment of the community."



Last June, four members of GCCS attended the American Solar Energy Society's "Solar 2022: Energy Transition With Economic Justice" conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

While in Albuquerque, GCCS attendees heard from a variety of speakers, experts, and politicians including Noam Chomsky, NM Governor Michelle Grisham, NM Senator Martin Heinrich, and President of the Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez.

Much more personal conversations were had with other attendees from all over the US, all of whom share vision for equitable solar energy deployment.

GCCS members Philip and Randy presented "Progress in Toledo: Bringing PV Benefits and Education to the LMI Community," sharing our experience with like-minded people and organizations. We all brought back new ideas and perspectives that continue to influence our vision and actions.

Last semester, student members took the steps to become an official student organization at the University of Toledo. This gives our students access to resources and other organizations that will help them in their mission parallel to that of GCCS as a broader non-profit.

In the fall, GCCS began a partnership with Metroparks Toledo as part of the Community Engagement honors seminar at the University of Toledo. Over the course of the semester, a group of four students took inspiration from previous solar demonstrations to design and propose a similar demonstration in Secor Metropark. While the students were only able to make the proposal by the end of the semester, GCCS student volunteers continue to work with the Metroparks to complete the project. (See the proposed location below, left).

An additional proposal has already been submitted to aid in funding the installation of a rooftop array on the Heavy Wheelhouse (above, right) in Oak Openings Metropark! This array would serve the missions of both GCCS and the Metroparks by promoting conservation and offering an opportunity for public education. This is a partnership that GCCS hopes to expand upon even further over the coming year.

Thanks for reading, and subscribing! Members of Glass City Community Solar are working every day toward our mission of serving low-income residents of Toledo and Lucas County. As a nonprofit, we operate based on the generosity of donors and volunteers. Please consider making a one time or recurring donation. 

If you know someone who might be interested in our mission, forward this newsletter to them and encourage them to subscribe! Did you receive this newsletter from a friend? Please consider subscribing, we'd love for you to be a part of our mission for a greener and more equitable Toledo.