4th Annual Appalachia Heritage Luncheon May 8, 2014

Today May 8th, was Heritage Ohio’s fourth annual Appalachia Heritage Luncheon held in partnership with Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area. The luncheon is an opportunity to celebrate a variety of “success stories” that represent regional culture: art, music, food, business, history, science, preservation etc. These success stories are presented by people who have great passion for what they do, and that they do it in Appalachia Ohio.  Appalachia is a region whose people have too quietly been content to succeed and thrive regardless of popular misconceptions of the region. But, we are not content to let them keep these bright successes under the bushel basket. Once a year we share their stories with the Ohio General Assembly and a growing network of movers and shakers who are passionate advocates for making Ohio a better place.
Today we heard success stories from:
Ada Woodson Adams from the Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill
Bill Baker from the Millersburg Brewery in Millersburg
Kim Bauer from Portsmouth, telling the story of their floodwall mural project
Deana and Marvin Clark, founders of the Ohio Valley Opry in McConnelsville
Maryann Hartwick, a founder of the Southeast Ohio Astronomical Society in Athens
Dan Long from Greenfield which chose to restore their spectacular McClain High School
Don McKendry who helped found the John & Annie Glenn Museum in New Concord
Elsa Thompson who with her husband founded the Bird Watchers Digest out of Marietta
And
Geoff Schenkel also from Marietta whose REsolve Studios is a mutli-art production space for all populations
Each of these speakers is doing their bit to change the world to a better place.
Thank you for sharing your stories with all of us in Columbus today.
These speakers shared their success stories at our luncheon today.