Annual Ernie Blankenship Memorial Radio-Telethon raises $105,866 for HCSCA
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
The 44th annual Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon on Wednesday night exceeded the donations from 2015, raising over $100,000 for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults.
With generous donations from individuals, organizations and businesses throughout Highland County and beyond, a total of $105,866 was raised in Hillsboro and Greenfield, an increase of the 2015 total of $103,964.
In its 44 years, the telethon has raised over $3.4 million to benefit adults and children in Highland County.
The telethon is a joint effort of the Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary Clubs to support the HCSCA, which provides a number of services to children and adults throughout the county. Services available through the organization include home nursing, speech clinic, medication, transportation, equipment rental, orthopedic devices, CPR equipment, scholarship funding, hospital tests, respiratory supplies and physical and occupational therapy.
In 2013, the event was named the Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon in honor of his long service as emcee and chairman of the Hillsboro Rotary Club committee.
Several of Blankenship’s family members were on hand to kick off the telethon, including his wife, Rita Kay Blankenship; sons Ernie and Ryan (“Smoke”) Blankenship; daughter-in-law Erin Blankenship; and several of his grandchildren.
“This is a very important event to us because we know it works,” Rita Kay Blankenship said, presenting emcees Rick Williams and Herb Day with a check for $1,000 from her family. “It does so much good in the community and stays right here in Highland County. It really is great for the community.”
Ernie Blankenship, Jr. also made a donation of $500, as well as donating pizzas from the family’s restaurant, Big Ernie’s Pizza.
“Ernie had a great heart,” Day said. “He walked the walk. We’re so proud to have his family continue in his memory.”
The Hillsboro telethon was hosted by Merchants National Bank this year. Merchants National Bank representative Bertha Hamilton welcomed everyone to the event.
“It’s such an honor to host this year,” Hamilton said.
Williams said the bank “rolls out the red carpet” for the Rotary Club, emcees and volunteers.
“We can’t thank you enough,” Williams said. “You are great hosts.”
The bank also presented one of the largest donations of the night, with a combined $10,000 donation from the employees and administrators. Hamilton said that employees raised money throughout the year by paying $2 to wear jeans on Fridays or to dress up during various “spirit days.” The bank also raised money with a soup and sandwich fundraiser.
“Whenever there’s food, Merchants employees know how to eat,” Hamilton joked.
The employees raised $3,000, while the bank donated $7,000.
“We would like to thank the employees who make it all happen,” bank president Paul Pence said. “We’re very proud of them.”
Judge Rocky Coss assisted the emcees throughout the night and spoke about his wife, Gayle Coss, who is the HCSCA director and was unable to attend the event.
“She’s doing well,” Judge Coss said. “She had a nasty fall and broke her hip, but it only required 15 minutes of surgery. Unfortunately, she’s not able to get around too much.
“Gayle’s been the director now for 11 years, and the Society is near and dear to our hearts.”
Coss thanked the community for their donations, as well as local medical professionals for their generosity throughout the year in offering reduced rates for services.
“This telethon is unique to Highland County, and I think it’s unique to the United States, quite honestly,” Coss said. “We should be very proud of what we started here.”
Day told Williams that the 2016 poster child, Emily Davis, was almost unable to attend as well, although she managed to visit the telethon with her family members. Day – who is also Emily's grandfather – said that Davis was in the hospital early on Wednesday.
“She was in the emergency room at Highland District Hospital earlier today, and we thought she might have to go to Children’s Hospital,” Day said. “Fortunately, she was able to return home and is able to visit us tonight.”
Emily suffers from familial dysautonomia, also known as Riley-Day syndrome, an auto-immune disorder. According to the National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, it affects the control of involuntary functions and can include heart rate, body temperature and breathing.
Emily and her “pappy,” Doug Chaney, met with Day at the Hillsboro telethon. Emily, who turned 10 this week, raised $375 for the telethon, as well as raising funds for the animal shelter, as part of her birthday celebration.
“How does it feel to be 10?” Day asked her.
“Good,” she said. “I don’t think Pappy likes it, though.”
Merchants National Bank employees presented Emily with a large “Frozen” doll as well as tickets to see “Frozen” presented at “Disney on Ice.” She also received toys and an Easter basket from the Hillsboro Eagles.
[[In-content Ad]]
Additionally, Emily, who told The Highland County Press earlier this month that she wants to learn to swim, was given a $1,200 donation from the Highland County YMCA to receive swimming lessons and for her family to join the YMCA.
The emcees visited with many community leaders, including county and school officials, medical professionals and business owners, throughout the evening. Local 4-H and FFA groups, as well as organizations including the VFW Post 9094 and the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary, the Highland County Board of Realtors, the Red Hat Society Teatime Tootsies, the Hillsboro Elks, the Hillsboro Eagles and several churches also contributed to the telethon.
Among the top donors were the Cassner Foundation, as Richard Van Zant presented a check for $15,000 on behalf of the foundation. Rotarians also contributed a large sum, including $6,000 from the club and numerous donations from the Rotarians’ respective businesses and families.
In addition to host Merchants National Bank, local banks including Fifth Third Bank, First State Bank, NCB and US Bank also made significant donations Wednesday night.
The telethon also had a unique donation, as the famous face of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce and other area businesses Homer the Dog “donated” $50 to the telethon.
Through his “spokesperson,” Rotarian Dr. Rob Sharp of the Hillsboro Veterinary Hospital, Homer encouraged the community to donate to the society and to adopt pets from animal shelters, particularly ones that might not otherwise find a home. Homer is owned by Sharp’s daughter, Amy Schneider, and her family.
Day also spoke to another relative – his sister, Karen Miller – who urged the community to give to the society. Miller’s son, the late James Garrett, was a former Society poster adult and received services from the society while suffering from cardiomyopathy and awaiting a heart transplant.
“Insurance did not cover all of his medical needs,” Miller said. “We turned to the society, and they helped us get the care he needed.
“This is a great cause, and I recommend and encourage everyone out there to donate. When you see medical bills come in and you don’t know how you’re going to pay them … the society stepped in and helped tremendously.”
Sports memorabilia and other items generously donated by Merchants National Bank, Keith and Carol Chambers and the Highland County YMCA were auctioned off throughout the evening. The items sold included an autographed photo of the starting eight of the Big Red Machine, which sold for $425; a photo of Pete Rose getting hit No. 4,191 at Wrigley Field, $300; a photo of Urban Meyer getting doused with Gatorade at the end of the 2012 Michigan game, $700; a baseball autographed by Ron Oester, a member of the Reds Hall of Fame, $60; a baseball autographed by Cesar Geronimo, a member of the Reds Hall of Fame and Big Red Machine, $80; a baseball autographed by Rollie Fingers, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a former Cy Young Award winner, $60; and a baseball autographed by Bert Campaneris, a member of the Oakland A's World Series champions from 1972-74, $50; a Cincinnati Bengals shirt and hat autographed by tight end Tyler Eifert, $105; and a one-year YMCA membership, $300.
The emcees closed out the night by thanking the Rotary Clubs for their efforts, with several Hillsboro Rotarians joining the emcees.
In addition to thanking the Rotary Club, as well as Merchants National Bank and their staff, the emcees thanked Terry Mikkelsen of Tech-T Productions; Buckeye Country and other local media; event sponsors, including the numerous businesses who donated food and beverages for the evening; and everyone who contributed to the 2016 telethon.
Event sponsors included Alley 21; Bagshaw Enterprises - KFC; Big Ernie’s Pizza; Blossoms ’n Buds Floral; Chad Abbott Signs; Flagway; Giovanni’s Pizza; Great Scot; Hillsboro Dairy Queen; Holtfield Station; iHeartRadio; Kroger; Local Cable TV; Old Y Restaurant; Pasquale’s Pizza; Pepsi Cola; Pizza Hut; Ponderosa Steakhouse; Rent-2-Own; Rick’s Appliance Center; Slow & Low BBQ; Speedway; Subway (Elmores’); Time Warner Cable; Twenty-Four Exchange Deli; Wal-Mart Deli; and WVNU.
Contributions will still be accepted for those who would like to donate to the telethon. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 258, Hillsboro, or dropped off at local banks.
With generous donations from individuals, organizations and businesses throughout Highland County and beyond, a total of $105,866 was raised in Hillsboro and Greenfield, an increase of the 2015 total of $103,964.
In its 44 years, the telethon has raised over $3.4 million to benefit adults and children in Highland County.
The telethon is a joint effort of the Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary Clubs to support the HCSCA, which provides a number of services to children and adults throughout the county. Services available through the organization include home nursing, speech clinic, medication, transportation, equipment rental, orthopedic devices, CPR equipment, scholarship funding, hospital tests, respiratory supplies and physical and occupational therapy.
In 2013, the event was named the Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon in honor of his long service as emcee and chairman of the Hillsboro Rotary Club committee.
Several of Blankenship’s family members were on hand to kick off the telethon, including his wife, Rita Kay Blankenship; sons Ernie and Ryan (“Smoke”) Blankenship; daughter-in-law Erin Blankenship; and several of his grandchildren.
“This is a very important event to us because we know it works,” Rita Kay Blankenship said, presenting emcees Rick Williams and Herb Day with a check for $1,000 from her family. “It does so much good in the community and stays right here in Highland County. It really is great for the community.”
Ernie Blankenship, Jr. also made a donation of $500, as well as donating pizzas from the family’s restaurant, Big Ernie’s Pizza.
“Ernie had a great heart,” Day said. “He walked the walk. We’re so proud to have his family continue in his memory.”
The Hillsboro telethon was hosted by Merchants National Bank this year. Merchants National Bank representative Bertha Hamilton welcomed everyone to the event.
“It’s such an honor to host this year,” Hamilton said.
Williams said the bank “rolls out the red carpet” for the Rotary Club, emcees and volunteers.
“We can’t thank you enough,” Williams said. “You are great hosts.”
The bank also presented one of the largest donations of the night, with a combined $10,000 donation from the employees and administrators. Hamilton said that employees raised money throughout the year by paying $2 to wear jeans on Fridays or to dress up during various “spirit days.” The bank also raised money with a soup and sandwich fundraiser.
“Whenever there’s food, Merchants employees know how to eat,” Hamilton joked.
The employees raised $3,000, while the bank donated $7,000.
“We would like to thank the employees who make it all happen,” bank president Paul Pence said. “We’re very proud of them.”
Judge Rocky Coss assisted the emcees throughout the night and spoke about his wife, Gayle Coss, who is the HCSCA director and was unable to attend the event.
“She’s doing well,” Judge Coss said. “She had a nasty fall and broke her hip, but it only required 15 minutes of surgery. Unfortunately, she’s not able to get around too much.
“Gayle’s been the director now for 11 years, and the Society is near and dear to our hearts.”
Coss thanked the community for their donations, as well as local medical professionals for their generosity throughout the year in offering reduced rates for services.
“This telethon is unique to Highland County, and I think it’s unique to the United States, quite honestly,” Coss said. “We should be very proud of what we started here.”
Day told Williams that the 2016 poster child, Emily Davis, was almost unable to attend as well, although she managed to visit the telethon with her family members. Day – who is also Emily's grandfather – said that Davis was in the hospital early on Wednesday.
“She was in the emergency room at Highland District Hospital earlier today, and we thought she might have to go to Children’s Hospital,” Day said. “Fortunately, she was able to return home and is able to visit us tonight.”
Emily suffers from familial dysautonomia, also known as Riley-Day syndrome, an auto-immune disorder. According to the National Dysautonomia Research Foundation, it affects the control of involuntary functions and can include heart rate, body temperature and breathing.
Emily and her “pappy,” Doug Chaney, met with Day at the Hillsboro telethon. Emily, who turned 10 this week, raised $375 for the telethon, as well as raising funds for the animal shelter, as part of her birthday celebration.
“How does it feel to be 10?” Day asked her.
“Good,” she said. “I don’t think Pappy likes it, though.”
Merchants National Bank employees presented Emily with a large “Frozen” doll as well as tickets to see “Frozen” presented at “Disney on Ice.” She also received toys and an Easter basket from the Hillsboro Eagles.
[[In-content Ad]]
Additionally, Emily, who told The Highland County Press earlier this month that she wants to learn to swim, was given a $1,200 donation from the Highland County YMCA to receive swimming lessons and for her family to join the YMCA.
The emcees visited with many community leaders, including county and school officials, medical professionals and business owners, throughout the evening. Local 4-H and FFA groups, as well as organizations including the VFW Post 9094 and the VFW Ladies’ Auxiliary, the Highland County Board of Realtors, the Red Hat Society Teatime Tootsies, the Hillsboro Elks, the Hillsboro Eagles and several churches also contributed to the telethon.
Among the top donors were the Cassner Foundation, as Richard Van Zant presented a check for $15,000 on behalf of the foundation. Rotarians also contributed a large sum, including $6,000 from the club and numerous donations from the Rotarians’ respective businesses and families.
In addition to host Merchants National Bank, local banks including Fifth Third Bank, First State Bank, NCB and US Bank also made significant donations Wednesday night.
The telethon also had a unique donation, as the famous face of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce and other area businesses Homer the Dog “donated” $50 to the telethon.
Through his “spokesperson,” Rotarian Dr. Rob Sharp of the Hillsboro Veterinary Hospital, Homer encouraged the community to donate to the society and to adopt pets from animal shelters, particularly ones that might not otherwise find a home. Homer is owned by Sharp’s daughter, Amy Schneider, and her family.
Day also spoke to another relative – his sister, Karen Miller – who urged the community to give to the society. Miller’s son, the late James Garrett, was a former Society poster adult and received services from the society while suffering from cardiomyopathy and awaiting a heart transplant.
“Insurance did not cover all of his medical needs,” Miller said. “We turned to the society, and they helped us get the care he needed.
“This is a great cause, and I recommend and encourage everyone out there to donate. When you see medical bills come in and you don’t know how you’re going to pay them … the society stepped in and helped tremendously.”
Sports memorabilia and other items generously donated by Merchants National Bank, Keith and Carol Chambers and the Highland County YMCA were auctioned off throughout the evening. The items sold included an autographed photo of the starting eight of the Big Red Machine, which sold for $425; a photo of Pete Rose getting hit No. 4,191 at Wrigley Field, $300; a photo of Urban Meyer getting doused with Gatorade at the end of the 2012 Michigan game, $700; a baseball autographed by Ron Oester, a member of the Reds Hall of Fame, $60; a baseball autographed by Cesar Geronimo, a member of the Reds Hall of Fame and Big Red Machine, $80; a baseball autographed by Rollie Fingers, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a former Cy Young Award winner, $60; and a baseball autographed by Bert Campaneris, a member of the Oakland A's World Series champions from 1972-74, $50; a Cincinnati Bengals shirt and hat autographed by tight end Tyler Eifert, $105; and a one-year YMCA membership, $300.
The emcees closed out the night by thanking the Rotary Clubs for their efforts, with several Hillsboro Rotarians joining the emcees.
In addition to thanking the Rotary Club, as well as Merchants National Bank and their staff, the emcees thanked Terry Mikkelsen of Tech-T Productions; Buckeye Country and other local media; event sponsors, including the numerous businesses who donated food and beverages for the evening; and everyone who contributed to the 2016 telethon.
Event sponsors included Alley 21; Bagshaw Enterprises - KFC; Big Ernie’s Pizza; Blossoms ’n Buds Floral; Chad Abbott Signs; Flagway; Giovanni’s Pizza; Great Scot; Hillsboro Dairy Queen; Holtfield Station; iHeartRadio; Kroger; Local Cable TV; Old Y Restaurant; Pasquale’s Pizza; Pepsi Cola; Pizza Hut; Ponderosa Steakhouse; Rent-2-Own; Rick’s Appliance Center; Slow & Low BBQ; Speedway; Subway (Elmores’); Time Warner Cable; Twenty-Four Exchange Deli; Wal-Mart Deli; and WVNU.
Contributions will still be accepted for those who would like to donate to the telethon. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 258, Hillsboro, or dropped off at local banks.