Highland County Fair

Today concludes the 2009 Highland County Fair. It has been another successful year for fair-goers. We enjoyed spending time with friends while celebrating our 20th year with cake and ice cream on Labor Day. Thanks to all those who stopped by for a visit!

We were able to attend several of the shows and sales to support the area youth. After purchasing several grand and reserve champions and several other exhibitor projects, we can say that this year has been one of the best! Congratulations to all the young people in our county! Way to go!

Local Schools Achieve!

Congratulations to Hillsboro Middle School and Whiteoak High School for receiving "Excellent" ratings from the Ohio Department of Education. What an accomplishment for the youth in our area as well as the staff of these two schools! Way to Go!

Swackhamer Named SCOL Baseball Coach of the Year

Congratulations goes out to Rusty Swackhamer and the Hillsboro Indians baseball team!

Hillsboro head baseball coach Rusty Swackhamer was recently named the 2009 South Central Ohio League Coach of the Year. Swackhamer and the Indians went undefeated in the league with a 12-0 record. HHS finished the season 16-1 overall. Swackhamer has coached the Indians for four seasons.

It's great to see such hard work and dedication. What a fantastic honor!

These Kids Are Amazing

This was at a Texas Tech Basketball game in February of 2008.
The National Anthem is sung by five young ladies (ages 6-8).
You have never heard it performed better than this! An entire arena remains completely silent throughout the song. You could hear a pin drop. Take a moment to listen to this. The two young ladies on the right are six years old. The two in the middle are seven and the one on the left is eight.
This young group continues to impress!

Check them out on YouTube!
Visit their website at The Cactus Cuties!

Congratulations Jill!

Jill Minter, our Client Service Manager, graduated from Whiteoak High School on May 22nd.

Congratulations!

Jill accepts The Dickey Group Scholarship from Mr. Roush, Principal.

Craig Krenzel to Speak at Hillsboro High School Graduation

The Hillsboro Ministerial Association is bringing Craig Krenzel to be the keynote speaker at the Hillsboro High School Graduation which is to be held this Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Krenzel is the Ohio State University quarterback who led the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship and went on to play two years in the NFL. The Ministerial Association is pleased to have a speaker that will give the graduates a spiritual sendoff as they wrap up that phase of their life and head out into the world. This goal of the Association has been in the works for several years - and only this year has been accomplished due to donations and fundraising to bring Krenzel to the ceremonies. We at The Dickey Group support the Hillsboro Ministerial Association's vision for the graduation ceremony and are excited to be a part of this effort. Congratulations and blessings to all the local area graduates!

The full article appears in the Friday, May 15th edition of The Times-Gazette.

Annual Trout Derby Held at Rocky Fork Lake

On April 4th over 500 children ages 15 and under participated in the Annual Trout Derby held at Rocky Fork Lake. This event, held every year on the first Saturday in April, is sponsored by the Highland County Rod and Gun Club. It provides youth the opportunity to experience outdoor sports and enjoy quality time with their families. To read more, click here.

Passing of Charles "Lou" West

A dear friend of Karen and I recently passed away and will be deeply missed. Lou West was the song leader for decades at the Fairfax United Methodist Church where we attend. Saying that Lou loved to sing is an understatement. He was always looking for a partner his sing what he called "a special". He would come into Church and announce we need to sing "a special". My wife would sing with him on many occasions. Lou would sing solo's, duet's, with small groups...you name it! Any one he could round up! They would gather around the piano at choir practice and sing until 10:00 p.m.! Lou loved the Lord and loved the youth. He could often be seen at ball games and ball parks. It didn't matter who's kid it was... Lou faithfully supported the youth! Lou played fastpitch softball on a Church team many years ago with my father, Lowell. Dad would occasionally recall the great times they had playing together. Karen and I will miss that man! Lou was preceed by his beautiful bride Clarice! We will meet again some day.

Highland County Fair

The Highland County Fair is coming up on August 31 through September 6, 2008! Livestock starts to arrive on Saturday August 30, 2008! There will be plenty of entertainment such as Blue Steel, Angie Evans, Savana Jack, Jimmy Wayne and more! Don't forget about the motorcycle thrill show, demolition derby and tractor pulls! The new 100 x 120 ft. rabbit and poultry barn near the camping area has wider walkways and more room for the 4-H and FFA members to get their animals in and out of cages!

Monday is Senior Citizens Day and the Dickey Group Realtors will be giving away ice cream at their booth in the Warton building! Also stop by for free daily giveaways and door prizes! Hope to see you there!

To read more about livestock arrival times click here!

To read more about the new rabbit and poultry barn click here!

Fate of venerable school will be discussed again

There is a committee exploring possibilities for the Hillsboro middle and high school buildings. The original high school buildings were built in 1935, and the middle school is in them now. Many people, including Marilyn Hiestand, a member of the committee, say the buildings are a symbol of their memories of their lives in Hillsboro. A lot of people are dreading the thought of the possibility of seeing the structures destroyed.

The committee is open to the public. It holds monthly meetings to discuss suggestions for possible uses of the buildings once students move into the new high school and middle school. Although the students aren't scheduled to be into the new schools until 2009-10, the decisions for what will happen to the old buildings will be made much sooner.

To read the full article, click HERE.

Summer Fun in Highland County

Summer is in full swing and as the novelty of being out of school begins to wear off, most parents are bracing themselves for the inevitable “I’m booooored” that is just bound to come out of their children’s mouths soon.

Below is a link to information about community events and fun things to do with your children this summer to get them outside and enjoying this beautiful time of year in Highland County:

Highland County Community

For more information about real estate and living in Highland County, OH please call me at 937-393-7222 or visit my Web site at www.TheDickeyGroup.com. Happy trails, and here’s to an exciting second half of the summer!

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Dante Jackson Performs Well During State Championships

Earlier this month, McClain High School's Dante Jackson defended his state championship title in the 110 hurdles. This race set the pace for the rest of the competition. Jackson fell short during the 300 hurdle event taking the runner up position, even after beating his own personal best record.

This final competition for Jackson's high school career brings his total placings at the state level to seven. Jackson is headed to Xavier University in the fall on a basketball scholarship.

Congratulations to Dante Jackson and continued success in future endeavors! The Dickey Group wishes you well!

To read more, click here!

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New Turf for Old Field

The Hillsboro City School Board has plans to rejuvenate Hillsboro High School's Richards Memorial Field. They plan to have new turf in place for football season this fall. The goal is to get the field back into better playing condition so that they can possibly attract playoff games again. Recommendations for the new turf come from the Athletics Director Duane Earley. School representatives have met with experts in the field to make the best decisions. Current problems with the field have been attributed to the fact that in the past, several different people have had different opionions about how to manage and care for the field. The new plan calls for a return to Kentucky bluegrass. Resources within the district will be used to rebuild and resod the field. Financial support is being offered by the Athletic Boosters as well as any indiviudals interested in supporting the funding of part of this project.

Click here to read more!

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Post Secondary Enrollment Option Available for High Schoolers

The Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program allows high school students (grades 9-12) to earn college and high school credits simultaneously by successfully completing college courses. All five school districts in Highland County utilize this program to assist those dedicated students who know what career they want to pursue. This opportunity gives kids a chance to experience college life and it is free! The Ohio Department of Education redirects funds from the public school to the college in order to pay for tuition and books. Enrollment in this program includes a small percentage of the total enrollment at the public schools, which means that the cost to the locals schools is manageable. The PSEO program has allowed several students to earn Associate's degrees by the time they graduate from high school.

This program is not for everyone: challenges are present. Students and parents are encourage to speak with the principal and guidance counselor at their school to find out more information!

Click here to read more!

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Paint Creek State Park - Something for Everyone

Located in Highland County, Paint Creek State Park has made some improvements to its facilities to offer more summer fun for visitors! There are a few new surprises, too!

As in the past, swimming at the 1000 foot beach, and camping are offered with cleaner restrooms and changing houses available. New pontoon boats and deep-bottom boats are also available for those wishing to fish. Hunting is also permitted at the park - license required. Campsites have been updated and provide options for pets! Four long walking trails, over 25 miles of bridle trails, and mountain bike trails invite everyone to enjoy the scenic park lands. A nature center shares a wealth of information with visitors. New to the park this year is a miniature golf course and coming soon - a playground!

On a related topic, those visiting the park are reminded to be safe and cautious with any outdoor activities. One activity that several have been injured from is cliff diving. In an effort to maintain safety at the park, Paint Creek has officially banned cliff diving. This risky behavior is not encouraged or allowed at the park. Fines and unspecified prison time could result. Kite tubing (inflatable devices designed to become airborne when pulled behind high-speed boats) has also been banned at the park. Officials encourage park visitors to engage in fun and safe activities for the summer season!

The Dickey Group encourages everyone to visit and enjoy the local parks! These natural resources provide many fun opportunites for adults and children of all ages!

To read more about Paint Creek, click here or visit this website.

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Graduation

Wow! It's hard to believe it's already that time of year, when our local seniors say goodbye to their high school and make those life-changing decisions about their futures. It truly is an opportunity to reach out and make dreams a reality.

This year, our office took a more active role in shaping the life of a local senior. We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Awick, a senior at Whiteoak High School, received The Dickey Group Inc., Realtors $1000 Scholarship. We congratulate Miss Awick on an excellent application and remarkable aspirations. We wish her continued success!

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Bright Local Gearing Up for Next School Year

The Bright Local School District renewed many employee contracts for the 2007-2008 school year during a recent Board of Education meeting. The Board also reviewed the activities of the local FFA group. The staff presented information on new and different teaching techniques that are now available due in part to technological advances. Reports from the principals provided information on the spring carnival at the elementary and testing and the prom at the high school.

We salute the professionals at Bright Local Schools for making our community a great place for our children!

To read more, click here.

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Coloring Contest Winners

Our newly published paper Your Country Connection recently featured a kids coloring contest. The winners have now been announced....

Wow! Our office received a tremendous response from kids of all ages for our Coloring Contest. This Coloring Contest became an event in our office that brought much discussion and enjoyment. Every day we anticipated the delivery of the mail to see what new entries had arrived. Each entry was unique and truly showcased how talented our readership is! In total, we received over 70 entries with participants ranging in age from 18 months to 88 years old!

We want to thank each and every participant for their time and effort. There were so many fantastic entries that it was difficult to choose the top three winners! We are pleased to announce the first place winner is Amber Gorman. Amber received a $50 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. The second place winner is Chase Edmisten. Chase received a $25 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. Third place goes to Samantha Stodgel. Samantha received a $15 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. Congratulations to all three winners!

A really special entry arrived mid-way through the contest period. It was colored by an 88-year old “kid” named Clyde Pidcock of the Rocky Fork Lake area. Clyde did such an outstanding job that we designed a special award just for him – The Oldest “Kid” Award! Thanks Clyde for making us all smile!

Click here to see pictures!
First Place - Amber Gorman
Second Place - Chase Edmisten
Third Place - Samantha Stodgel

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Mowrystown FFA Chapter Excels in Evaluations

The results have come in! The Mowrystown FFA Chapter has once again shown that hard work and dedication to the FFA and agriculture has its rewards! Results for the chapter officer books, proficiency awards and state and American degrees are outstanding. Several of the youth in this group have been recognized at the state and national levels.

Click here to read more about these wonderful accomplishments!

The Dickey Group congratulates the Mowrystown FFA Chapter on a job well done!

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Highland County Society for Children and Adults Telethon

The annual radiotelethon for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults raised $217,043, shattering their all-time record by nearly $15,000. In Hillsboro, the telethon was held at Merchants Bank and in Greenfield at McClain High School. All funds raised during this annual event stay in Highland County to support local families that are supporting a loved one with a physical challenge.

Several groups supported this event in tremendous ways - both through monetary and emotional support! For those who would still like to contribute to the Highland County Society for Children and Adults, contact the society at 937.393.2142 or donations may be made at Merchants Bank.

Read more by clicking here.

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