Community happenings, events, etc.

Songs of Hope 
Music Festival 
    Songs of Hope Music Festival will be held June 29 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at
3419 state Route 41, Hillsboro (formerly Happy Hollow Dirt Park). The event
will feature Eric and Candice Baker, Bethel Baptist Buddies, SSCC Praise
Band, Pastor Tom Zile and Tiffany McCoy, Fisher of Men, The Roessler Family,
Micah and Rebecca Herrick, The McDaniels Family and the Peebles Church of
Christ Praise Band.
    Bring your own lawn chair. Concessions will be available, with indoor
restrooms on site. All proceeds will go to Hope House Christian Counseling
Center.

Contestants sought
for Festival of the
Bells Queen Contest
    Applications for the inaugural Festival of the Bells Queen Contest are
available now. Entries will be accepted until June 17. The contest is open
to any single girl of high school age, including those entering ninth grade
for the 2024-25 school year through graduates of the class of 2024, from
Highland, Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, Pike and Ross counties.
    One-on-one interviews with applicants will be held June 22 at the Scott
House. Contestants will then participate in the contest July 4 during the
festival. 
    To access the form and read all of the rules and regulations, go to
https://www.facebook.com/festivalofthebells.

Living Hope Pentecostal
Church events June 15
    Living Hope Pentecostal Church will host its annual gospel singing and
auction Saturday, June 15 from noon-4 p.m. at the Liberty Park amphitheater
in Hillsboro. Free Kona Ice and concessions will be available. Homemade pies
will be among the items auctioned.

New Life Church
and Ministries VBS
    New Life Church and Ministries, located at 6101 state Route 247,
Hillsboro, will be having vacation Bible school (Camping with Jesus), June
24-26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. nightly. There will be Bible lessons, music,
refreshments, games and school book bag giveaways on the last night.
    To register your child (kindergarten through fifth grade), contact
Claudia at (912) 532-3087 (call or text).

HCNJFAD Board 
to meet June 18
    The Highland County North Joint Fire and Ambulance District Board of
Trustees' meeting will be held at 200 South St., Leesburg, at 8 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18. For further information, contact Roger Grimsley, fiscal
officer, at (937) 780-6909 ext. 103.

HHS class of 1957
reunion June 29
    The Hillsboro High School class of 1957 will hold a 67-year reunion
Saturday, June 29 at noon at the Hillsboro Church of Christ, 155 West Walnut
St., Hillsboro. The cost is $20 per person.
    RSVP by June 19 by contacting Beverly Rhoads at (937) 393-3970 or Joyce
Frazer at (937) 562-1561 or jdjafrazer@yahoo.com.

Leesburg Area Historical
Society hosts memorial
cookout June 14
    The Leesburg Area Historical Society will host its fourth annual Judy
Mason Memorial Cookout on Friday, June 14 (rain date Saturday, June 15) from
5-8 p.m. at the Leesburg Depot.  
    On the menu: freshly grilled hamburger or hot dog, baked beans, slaw,
chips, cookie and beverage. Dine at picnic tables or carry out. Donations
toward the depot restoration will once again be matched by the Modern
Woodmen Fraternal Financial Organization.  

BLSD Board to 
meet June 26
    The Bright Local Schools Board of Education will be holding its next
regular meeting Wednesday, June 26 at 6 p.m. at Whiteoak High School.

Child Golf Clinic 
June 29 at Elks
    The Hillsboro Elks 361 will be hosting their annual Child Golf Clinic
Saturday, June 29 from 9-11 a.m.
    This event is free for children. Registration starts at 8 a.m. Lunch and
drinks will be provided.
    The annual nine-hole Adult/Child Tournament will take place at noon,
following the clinic. Registration and lunch begin at 11 a.m. Children play
free with paying adult.
    Please call the Elks Lodge at (937) 393-3047 for more information or to
preregister for the tournament and/or the clinic.

SOESC Board
to meet June 25
    The Southern Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board hereby
gives notice that it will hold a public meeting pursuant to the provisions
of R.C. 3307.353 to consider the re-employment of Linda Mead, as a
superannuate to the same position from which she previously retired. The
public meeting will occur June 25 at 7 p.m. at Southern Ohio Educational
Service Center, 3321 Airborne Road, Wilmington.  

HCCAO golf outing Aug. 16
    The Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc. will host their
18th annual golf outing on Friday, Aug. 16 at Buckeye Hills Country Club
located at 7261 Limes Road in Greenfield. Registration will open at 8 a.m.
They are just beginning to take reservations for teams and hole sponsors,
and there are plenty of opportunities for businesses to be represented at
the event as an event sponsor, corporate sponsor, team, hole or prize
sponsor.
    Shotgun scramble time is 9 a.m. Registration fees include the greens fee
for 18 holes of golf on the beautiful course, a cart and a lunch provided by
All Seasons Catering. Prizes will be awarded to first- and second-place
teams and most honest. Great door prizes are also going to be given away.
    Golfers who participate will also gain the satisfaction of knowing all
proceeds go back to the organization to help support those being served in
Highland County. 
    To sign up for this year¹s golf outing or find out more about
sponsorship opportunities, contact Laura Bosier at (937) 393-3458.

AmVets Post 61 events
    AmVets Post 61, located at Rocky Fork Lake, has announced the following
upcoming events:
    • Bingo on Thursday evenings;
    • Weekend breakfasts this summer;
    • Cookouts (steaks and pork chops) all summer; and
    • Various bands and entertainers this summer.
    A car show honoring POW/MIA soldiers will be held Aug. 10.
    All events are open to the public. For more details, call (937) 393-2900
or visit the Post at 11541 North Shore Drive, Hillsboro.

HCCAO Board meetings
    The Highland County Community Action Organization Governing Board will
meet in 2024 on the following dates: June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24,
Oct. 22, Nov. 26 and Dec. 24.

Brushcreek Township
Trustees' meetings
    The Board of Brushcreek Township Trustees, Highland County, will hold
their public meetings on the first and third Monday of each month for the
entirety of the year 2024. Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. at the Brushcreek
Township Fire Department, 7 N. Chestnut St., Sinking Spring.

HDH Board of
Governors meetings
    The Highland District Hospital Board of Governors will meet in 2024 on
the last Wednesday of each month, January-November, at 7 p.m. in the
Education Room, located on the first floor at Highland District Hospital.
Meeting schedules for specific committees can be obtained by contacting
Melinda Russell at (937) 393-6101.

Hillsboro meetings
The City of Hillsboro has released the following revised 2024 meeting
schedule.
    • City Council meets the Thursday after the second Monday of the month
at 7 p.m. at 130 North High St. Scheduled meeting dates include: June 13,
July 11, Aug. 15, Sept. 12, Oct. 17, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12.
    • Planning Commission meets the third Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
at 130 North High St. Scheduled meeting dates include: June 17, July 15,
Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16.
    • The Revolving Loan Fund Committee holds quarterly meetings at 10 a.m.
at 130 North High St. Scheduled dates are: Aug. 21 and Nov. 20.
    • The Community Improvement Corporation meets the second Wednesday of
the month at 9 a.m. at 130 North High St. Scheduled meeting dates are: June
12, July 10, Aug. 14, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11.

Senior food donations
    The Highland County Church of Christ is giving out senior food boxes on
the third Friday of each month. These are boxes of canned and shelf-stable
items, plus cheese. To qualify, you must be age 60 or older; submit an
income form (to be filled out one time); and pick up your food box between
11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the third Friday of each month at 6670 U.S. Route 50 West,
Hillsboro. For more information, call (937) 763-8311.

Lynchburg Historical Society
    The Lynchburg Historical Society will be open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-2
p.m. The Society is located at 151 S. Main Street near the police office.

New Life Church & Ministries
resumes food giveaway
    New Life Church & Ministries, located at 6101 S.R. 247 in Hillsboro, has
resumed its weekly food giveaway. The food pantry will be offered every
Friday from 1-4 p.m. Individuals are asked to wait until after 10 a.m. at
the earliest to get in line for the food giveaways.

Peace Lutheran Church
    Peace Lutheran Church continues to serve as the location for AA, NA and
AlAnon. There is also a model train group which sets up at the Highland
County Fair and has their meetings at the church. Call Peace Lutheran at
(937) 393-1837 with any questions.

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••• 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.