The Colonial Hills Civic Association

Great thanks to Event Chair Amanda Rule, her three other Park Overlook committee members Abby Wills, Ashley Chaney and Mandie DeWine, and the many other volunteers for a 4th of July event that by all accounts was even better than the wonderful one they led last year — and the event last year may very well have been the best Colonial Hills 4th of July subsequent to fifty years ago when this Colonial Hills event was the premier community holiday event in all of Worthington!

Even better than last year? Yes! The 4th of July event team again flawlessly planned and implemented a celebration which included all the delightful activities from last year – lots of midway games, plus a double-lane slip ‘n’ slide (twice the fun!). the 50-50 raffle, a cotton-candy stand, both a youth and adult watermelon eating contest, plus other favorite activities such as the dunk tank, two bounce houses, face painting, Kona Ice, Branded BBQ, with all activities flowing seamlessly. The CHCA officers pitched in to help Amanda according to their roles with planning and implementation, including providing for Venmo payments, some event consultation, coordination with the City (Thanks, Worthington Parks and Rec and Police Departments!), putting up pop-up tents, announcing the activities, and photography — and resident Matt Steidel donated his sound equipment and play list, which provided enjoyable background music for our event.

Even better? Yes! Longstanding Colonial Hills resident Ron Sears provided 4 new, original games/activities (and very creative and fun, we might add — please see the photos below), including the pop-up tents and the volunteers for these activities, making the midway even better this year!

This year, we estimated that maybe around 400 or more folks attended (there were 330 sales of Kona Ice alone), and in spite of the moderate humidity (the rain miraculously held off until after the event), many of these folks were still celebrating almost up to the time that we started cleaning and putting away the tables and chairs, and with a few of the youngsters even getting in last-minute turns on the slip ‘n’ slide until we turned the water off!

And a great big thanks to our sponsors for their generous support of our event: Erin Hunt Glowacki, the Powell Buehler Group; Cynthia MacKenzie, CYMACK Real Estate; and The Roof Detective.

The winners in our competitions were:

Race Results

The 5k Race Co-Chairs Courtney Jolley and Jeff Spain and their volunteers yet again made this event run like clockwork, from publicity and signup to the runners and walkers competing and enjoying their course thru Colonial Hills, the 45th running of this traditional Colonial Hills event (please see photos below).

Again for the second year in a row, Jeff and Courtney had to overcome the challenge of the ongoing, extensive water lines replacement project excavating our beautiful tree-lined streets — this year Park Overlook and Andover were not available. Working with the City, Jeff and Courtney designed another alternate course, led by a Worthington Police Officer cruiser. Please see the separate 2024 5k Race Results blogpost for details.

Accordingly, we congratulate everyone who participated, and especially the overall winning runners, who ran the following great times: Jonathan Allen (15:26.62) and Julia Harris (19:41.33)! Please click on the links below to view:

• Overall Finish List Results
• Results by Age Group
• Our Race Results Archive, 1998-2024
• Or, select the Race website Results tab for searchable and age-group results

2024 Kiddie Parade Winners, by Category

Long-time Chair Mary Ann Ogle, along with her Co-Chair Kathy Moore once again expertly planned and conducted this traditional 4th of July event, which started after the 5k Race awards had been handed out, and as soon as Mary Ann could organize the participants at the starting line. Mary Ann noted that fun was had by all. And as usual, Mary Ann firmly maintained safety for all the participants, by putting the hammer down on the speeding bicyclists who were well ahead of the pack, as these speedsters completed their first lap around Selby Park, and then proceeded calmly enmeshed with the rest of the group for their remaining two laps around the park! And the kids (with maybe some parental assistance) did a great job this year decorating their mode of transportation!

Mary Ann thanks her judges: Kathy Moore (Co-Chair), Deb Smith, Kris Welhington, Kay Hosterman, Jessica Eloringer and her husband Jarrod, who selected these winners in the following categories:

Bicycles
1st Place- Hudson Spain (4yrs)
2nd Place- Hannah Hughes (5yrs)
3rd Place- Jack Charey (6yrs)

Strollers
1st Place- Sky Emma Spain (1yr)
2nd Place- Drew McKinley Sharmar (3yrs)
3rd Place- Tilly Gabe Guerrero (3yrs)

Wagons and Floats
1st Place- Hot Dog Float – Noah & Eli Murtz, Joey & Emily Mittelman
2nd Place- Rowar Best & Zenna Rivell
3rd Place- Norah Payne

Dogs and Walkers
1st Place- Maude Schraff
2nd Place- Dog Kit Kat
3rd Place- Josie Calhoon (8yrs) and Gabe Calhoon (5yrs)

Note: If anyone did not get your ribbon, please contact Mary Ann Ogle 614-598-7394.

Watermelon Eating Contest Winners, by Category

The firm, but immensely entertaining, judge for the two contests made sure that the following winners were the first in their age group to finish their slice so that absolutely, and indisputably, no red was showing:

Youth- Chrissy Stambaugh
Adult- Joel Highfield

50/50 Raffle

Mollie Hannon won $20, but then immediately donated her winnings back to the CHCA! Thank you, Mollie!

(And now for the photos – please click the “Continue reading” link below to see these pics which have the descriptions given below – photographer credit: CHCA Webmaster, unless credited otherwise to Chris Rule, CHCA VP/Communications)

_01 Courtney and Jeff are ready to start the 5k
_02 The runners gather before the start of the race
_03 The runners are now at the starting line
_04 The start of the 45th Annual Run Through the Hills 5k!
_05 Race leaders after start with police cruiser leading the way
_06 From inside the pack, approx. 5 secs after start – Credit: Chris Rule, VP/Communications
_07 The walkers start the 5k
_08 Mason, from Worthington, crosses the finish line in 5th place (3 of the 4 higher finishers are shown recovering at the sides)
_09 Set up is almost complete
_10 Courtney and Jeff present award to top male youth finisher Muluken (3rd overall)
_11 Courtney presents award to Julia E, winner of female 30-39 age group
_12 Courtney presents another award
_13 Midway setup is now complete
_14 Amanda, at right, is ready at the starting line of the Kiddie Parade
_15 The Kiddie Parade has started
_16 The first lap of the Kiddie Parade, going east on S. Selby, Chris at left
_17 Mary Ann, at left, directing the parade
_18 The category-winning Hot Dog Float – Credit: Chris Rule, VP/Communications
_19 Co-Chairs Kathy & Mary Ann present Kiddie Parade awards, Chris at left, announcing
_20 Kathy and Mary Ann chat with 5k Race Co-Chair Jeff, holding grandson
_21 Kathy, Mary Ann and Robin, present award for the Hot Dog Float
_22 In line for the ring toss — Credit: Chris Rule, CHCA VP/Communications
_23 Face painting – Credit: Chris Rule, CHCA VP/Communications
_24 Karen directs the right-side line formation – Credit: Chris Rule, VP/Communications
_25 Karen supervises the kids as they run, and slip and …
_26 … Slide!
_27 The ball from the young pitcher looks on target for a dunk, but …
_28 … Needs an assist to complete the dunk!
_29 The little kids bounce house
_30 Collecting a prize for the Duck Pond midway game
_31 Contestant casts their line for the Gone Fishing midway game
_32 Big Kids Bounce House and the Lollipop Tree midway game
_33 Leslie demonstrates the inscrutable Plinko game to a young contestant
_34 The new Bubble Whack game, one of Ron’s four new midway games/activities
_35 The new Riot Ball game, one of Ron’s four new midway games/activities
_36 Ron with his new Gravity Well midway game, one of his 4 new games/activities
_37 The new Baby Button service, one of Ron’s new midway games/activities
_38 The Baby Button has been completed for a happy customer! Corn hole at rear
_39 Kona Ice continually had a line!
_40 The Roof Detective
_41 Gray Performance Physio
_42 Colonial Hills Cub Scout Pack 331
_43 Concessions and Wrist Band Sales – former CHCA VP/Communications Jenny 3rd from right, and 4th of July Committee Member Ashley at right
_44 Delicious and nutritious Branded BBQ almost completely sold out!
_45 Under the Big Tent
_46 A young celebrant scores cotton candy!
_47 Youth contestants getting ready for the Watermelon Eating contest – Credit: Chris Rule, VP/Communications
_48 The no-nonsense judge demonstrates that the winner will be the first to have absolutely no red showing on their slice!
_49 The youth Watermelon Eating Contest winner Chrissy Stambaugh is adjudicated
_50 The man in the middle, Joel Highfield, is on his way to winning the adult Watermelon Eating Contest
_51 Watermelon Eating Contest winners: Adult – Joel Highfield, and Youth – Chrissy Stambaugh