UPDATED: Annual Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon raises over $165K to benefit Highland County Society for Children and Adults

For a second straight year, the Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary Clubs raised over $165,000 at the annual Ernie Blankenship Radio-Telethon, continuing a trend of rising totals each year since 2021 for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults.

The Rotary Clubs, along with event sponsor Southern Hills Community Bank, celebrated an unofficial pledge total of $166,303 at the end of the night Wednesday, March 26, which is the fourth-highest annual amount raised in the last 20 years. For the 53-year total of the telethon history, the total amount raised has now surpassed $4.5 million.  

The funds collected from the telethon each year go to help individuals in Highland County with a wide range of needs, including medical equipment and supplies, prescriptions, doctor visits and more.

The annual event at the Hillsboro Orpheum was emceed by Rick Williams and Herb Day, with assistance from Judge Rocky Coss and Doug Karnes.

Throughout the evening, generous donations were presented by representatives from local businesses, schools, clubs, civic organizations, churches and individuals in the community.

In honor of the telethon namesake — Ernie Blankenship, who served as the event emcee and chair of the Hillsboro Rotary Club for many years before his death in 2013 — members of the Blankenship family presented the first donations of the night. “Little” Ernie, Ryan (Smoke), Erin, Zach and Presley Blankenship were on hand for this year’s event.

The 2025 telethon was also the first without Ernie Blankenship’s widow, Rita Kay, who continued to support the telethon in the years since his death, as she passed away last August.

“[The telethon] is such a big part of what Dad was all about, especially for the community,” Ernie Blankenship Jr. said. “It was his way to give back, and it wasn’t just with money at the time. It was with his service and his skill set.

“It was great that Mom supported that. She always used to answer the phones and was right there, every step of the way.”

Day pointed out that Ernie Blankenship Sr. was known for working on telethon plans “365 days a year.”        

“He relished it,” Ernie Blankenship Jr. said. “He took advantage of every opportunity when he was outside of the community or talked to new people. He was always trying to grow it.”

The Blankenships contributed $500 from their family and $500 from their business, Big Ernie’s Pizza. They were also the eventual high bidders of some silent auction items at the end of the night.

“We really thank everyone for coming out,” Erin Blankenship said. “This was a very important cause that’s always bringing back a lot of memories of both of them, so we appreciate everybody for coming.”

The second donors of the night were the host bank, Southern Hills Community Bank, as they were one of numerous area banks to contribute throughout the evening.

“We love supporting Highland County,” Lindsay Cloud said.

Along with decorating, serving food, greeting guests, accepting donations and doing other tasks throughout the night, Southern Hills donated $1,050 on behalf of employees and $5,000 on behalf of the bank.

“We appreciate all the help that you’ve done,” Williams said.

Other banks contributing throughout the night included First State Bank ($1,500), NCB ($3,100) and Wilmington Savings Bank ($1,000), as well as one of the highest donors of the night, Merchants National Bank ($10,000).

Speaking of highest donors of the night, one local civic organization continued their tradition of generous giving Wednesday night. Hillsboro Eagles Aerie 1161 donated a total of $27,000, including $25,000 from the Eagles and $2,000 from the Auxiliary, to much applause and cheering from the packed Orpheum.

“That’s fantastic,” Day said. “Thank you so much.”

Other unofficial top donors on the night included the Cassner Foundation contributing $15,000, and the Hillsboro Elks Lodge 361 donated $13,132.50.  

At the Hillsboro telethon, the event sponsor Hillsboro Rotary Club, contributed $6,000, with club president Ted Rosenmayer presenting the check on the club’s behalf.

“It’s just a privilege to be here, to be able to serve the community in this way,” Rosenmayer said. “I’m not originally from Highland County, and I talk to a lot of people who don’t live in Highland County, and I talk to them about this event and this organization.

“Most people are just blown away that a community can come together to such an extent to help each other out. It’s just a wonderful situation.”

At the end of the night, Hillsboro Rotarians joined the emcees on stage to thank the community for their generosity. Longtime Rotarian and event organizer Judge Rocky Coss thanked the Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary Clubs; Day and Williams; “Technical Terry” Mikkelsen, whom Coss “the most important person” there, for his audio/video support and live-streaming the event; iHeartRadio and the Spectrum community access channel; Southern Hills Community Bank and the other banks who support the event; Dale Martin for donating the Hillsboro Orpheum space; those who donated items for the silent auction, including Craig Edgington, Highland County YMCA, John Barney/iHeartMedia, Southern Hills Community Bank and Tim Priest; and everyone who contributed to the telethon.

“I want to thank all the Rotarians here for your help this evening,” Coss said. “We also had a really good week last Tuesday night at our chili supper. This year, we partnered for the first time with the YMCA, and they had the chili cookoff with 15 entrants and a real good crowd out there on the Tuesday at our Rotary meeting we held there.

“Then, last Tuesday night at the VFW, Manuel Cole, who cooks for us every week for our Rotary meetings, fixed the mild, which was won by Debbie Vance, and Rob Moots, who’s one of our Rotarians, won the hot category, and he cooked his own. We raised $8,356, and that puts us at over $166,000, so we passed last year’s record. Congratulations, everybody.”  

In between accepting donations, emcees spoke with 2025 poster child Lukas Walker, along with parents Lee and Dorothy Walker and sister Adalynn, and poster adult Jerilyn Haglund at this year’s telethons, with the two families sharing testimonials about the Society’s help.

Lukas Walker, 7, was born with multiple diagnoses, including a bowel perforation, a stage four brain bleed and cerebral palsy, while he was also born 31 weeks premature, weighing three pounds. He remained in the hospital for nearly a year (11 months) after he was born, and he currently requires 24-hour care.

“[The HCSCA] has been able to provide us with his wipes and any kind of medications that his Medicaid doesn’t cover,” Dorothy Walker said. “It’s helped us financially because I was out of work for a couple years because I had breast cancer. With that help, it helped us tremendously to be able to provide the things that we couldn’t afford and his insurance wouldn’t cover.

“They’ve done a huge amount of things for us, and we can’t thank them enough for everything that they’ve done. We’re happy to be here.”

“We’re just blessed to have all the support that we have,” Lee Walker added.     
Both Jerilyn Haglund and her husband, Andrew, have had several unexpected medical expenses since they connected with HCSCA director Karen Miller in March 2024.

Jerilyn Haglund has diabetes and has been prescribed various daily medications, including insulin and a blood thinner, with the Society helping cover the costs of Haglund’s prescriptions. In addition, Andrew Haglund underwent surgery in the fall of 2024, later suffering complications, and the Society helped cover the costs of blood thinner injections before and after Mr. Haglund’s surgery, as well as wound care supplies.

“They have been very supportive,” Haglund said of the HCSCA. “They’ve been with me every step of the way with medicine that I just can’t afford. Honestly, we wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t have their help.”

Miller spoke about how individuals in the community can reach out to access HCSCA support. She said that their only requirement to apply is residency in Highland County “more than 90 days,” and you can call (937) 393-2142 to request an application.

Later in the evening, HCSCA co-director Patty Day visited her husband onstage to discuss some of the services the Society can provide.

“We help people that are in need for medical supplies,” Day said. “They may need a way to get to a doctor that’s outside the county, so we give them gas vouchers to get to specialists outside the county. We help people with ramps if they need a ramp. We’ve helped people get hearing aids, dental things, anything medical.

“There’s never a dumb question. Call us.”

Patty Day added that the Society will celebrate its 75th anniversary in November of this year.

“This is a great, big year for us,” she said. “In the beginning, there were people that were taking money out of their own pockets that were on the board. We now have representation from every township — 17 townships — and this is the first time since I’ve been involved.

“We work all year long and try to make sure the rules and regulations — we look at everything — but there’s never a bad call. Call us. If we can help you, we’re happy to help you. That’s what we’re here. Thank God for all of you that give every year — year-round, even — because you make this happen, and that’s why we’re able to help Highland County residents.”    

Along with this year’s poster child and adult, former poster child Christa Moore and her mother, Ruth Ann, donated $100, while Pam Chaney appeared on behalf of former poster child Emily Davis Chaney, who raised $700 in honor of her 19th birthday.

In addition to the donors previously mentioned, emcees accepted onstage donations from numerous individuals throughout the evening, while volunteers fielded calls and accepted in-person donations from many others.

Various youths from area schools and clubs attended with donations, including Hillsboro fifth graders ($552), Hillsboro Great Oaks FFA ($200) and Hillsboro Middle School Student Council ($1,060.68), as well as Premier Showmen ($250).

Other organizations presenting donations included Altrusa ($250), Highland County Cattlemen’s Association ($500), Highland County Chamber of Commerce ($150), Highland County Republican Club ($500), Highland Masonic Lodge ($500), Liberty Lions Club ($100 in memory of charter member David Grover) and VFW Post 9094 ($8,000) and their Ladies Auxiliary ($250).

Churches contributing included Allensburg Church of Christ ($3,270, as they are the home church of the Moore family), Good News Gathering ($500) and Southside Praise and Worship ($3,000, and they are the home church of the Day and Miller families).

Businesses speaking with emcees and sharing donations included DQ Grill and Chill of Mt. Orab and Wilmington ($500), Hamilton Insurance Agency ($500), Highland District Hospital ($8,161.38), Weastec ($2,000)

Individuals John Abell ($100, presented on stage by Keith Chambers), Jamie Wheeler ($50) and Rick Wilkin ($100) shared donations on behalf of their respective families, while Coss announced a donation from several of his “friends in the Democrat Party” — Phil Burchett, John Knauff, Kathryn Lowe and Jim and Dinah Phillips — totaling $1,650 in memory of Gayle Coss. Coss also later announced a $500 donation from Steve Haag and family.

Silent auction items, which raised nearly $4,000, included tickets for a Columbus Blue Jackets game, Cincinnati Reds game and Thomas Rhett concert and Luke Bryan concerts this summer; a Cincinnati Bengals cap signed by Geno Atkins and Bengals sunglasses; an autographed Joe Burrow jersey; an autographed Ja’Marr Chase Bengals helmet; an Ohio State 2024 National Championship framed photo collage; and a one-year family membership to the Highland County YMCA.

If you missed the telethon or would like to contribute, you can make a donation at any time online at hicoso.org or the Society’s Facebook, or checks payable to HCSCA can be dropped off at any local bank or mailed to the Society at P.O. Box 972, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133.
 

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.