The Colonial Hills Civic Association

/drumroll please…

The judges’ results are in. The judges switched up some categories this year. The winners are:

• Best Overall – First Place: 212 Colonial – Wow, just wow, driving north on Foster, the view of this house on the hill is beautiful! But the little-known street on Hardy Way shows they didn’t neglect the back (alternate front) of the house (no pic of the back here).
• Best Overall – Second Place: 5622 Indianola
• Best Overall – Third Place: 291 E Selby

• Most Artistic – First Place: 215 E Selby
• Most Artistic – Second Place: 385 Park – The pics don’t do this justice.
• Most Artistic – Third Place: 500 Loveman

• Kid Friendly – First Place: 265 Kenbrook
• Kid Friendly – Second Place: 5718 Indianola – Minion Attack!
• Kid Friendly – Third Place: 547 Park Overlook –DINOSAURS!

• Most Imaginative: 559 Colonial – Santa Dragon Sleigh.
• Most Magical: 435 Park – That droopy tree is just awesome.
• Best Retro: 287 Loveman
• Most Charming: 302 Loveman – Martha Stewart, move aside.
• Best Real Life-Sized Snowglobe: 575 Meadoway
• Best Block: Loveman, from Foster to Greenwich –Almost every house is lit up.

(And here are the pics, with photo credits to the Secret Judges – please click the “Continue reading” link below to see these photos)

_01 Best Overall – 1st Place
_02 Best Overall – 2nd
_03 Best Overall – 3rd
_04 Most Artistic – 1st Place
_05 Most Artistic – 2nd
_06 Most Artistic – 3rd
_07 Kid Friendly – 1st Place
_08 Kid Friendly – 2nd
_09 Kid Friendly – 3rd
_10 Most Imaginative
_11 Most Magical
_12 Best Retro
_13 Most Charming
_14 Best Real Life-Sized Snowglobe
_15 Best Block

Please sign up, using our SignUpGenius, for Luminary Kits Assembly, Saturday, December 2, starting at 10:00 AM.

The number of volunteers we are requesting is the same as last year, with only one shift, from approximately 10 AM to 11:30 AM (but hopefully we will again be done by around 11:00 AM). Volunteers for any task can include any youth middle-school age or older, and this event is an excellent opportunity for high school seniors to add one missing CHCA event credit for their scholarship application in 2024 before their schedule gets even more crazy!

You’ve probably heard the Public Service Announcement which says “We may be done with COVID, but COVID’s not done with us.” Therefore, we recommend that masks be worn for the tasks inside the-shelter house,where we will again have eight separate workstations, so as to try to maintain some social distancing.

Please sign up for one of these positions:

• Inside the shelter house component assembly (up to 2 volunteers per each of the 8 workstations)
• Outside the shelter house component assembly (up to 9 volunteers, plus the Event Chair)
• Bundling supervisor (1 volunteer)
• Pea gravel shovelers (up to 8 volunteers), who are requested to bring their own standard-size, pointed-tip garden shovel. There will be teams of two people at each of the 4 shoveling station chairs. Each shoveling team can decide how long each member will shovel, while the other team member holds open the grocery bags (team members could switch roles halfway through)
• Bundles concierge (1 volunteer)
• Take down / clean up (1 volunteer)

Pease note that even if you didn’t sign up beforehand on our SignUpGenius, but do show up to volunteer at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning, there may still be an open position for you to volunteer. However, we request that you do sign up ahead of time, and arrive a few minutes before 10:00 AM to reserve the volunteer position of your choice.

Dunkin’ donuts, coffee and hot chocolate will be served, and plenty of hand sanitizer will be provided inside the shelter house.

Regarding the Trustees picking up their bundles of kits for their Districts: We are asking the Trustees to start coming over no earlier than 11:30 AM on Saturday morning to pick up their bundles, so as not to increase the number of people present in the shelter house area during the kit assembly timeframe, which is expected to be 10:00 AM to about 11:30 AM, especially if it is not raining too hard that day.

Light Your Luminaries! Our luminary display evening will be Sunday, December 10, starting at 7:00 PM per the instructions which will be enclosed in each resident’s luminary kit.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or if you encounter any difficulty using our event’s SignUpGenius.

Thank you,
Will Pearce, Luminaries Event Chair
365 S. Selby Blvd
614-888-8236
willpearce@columbus.rr.com

The CHCA along with local Scouts will be collecting food Saturday morning, November 11.

Please leave your donations on your porch by 8:30 AM, along with the blue flyer dropped off at your home. Please make sure the donation items are placed in an area that is visible from the street.

Alternatively, if you wish, you can drop off your items at the Selby Park shelter house from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM.

The most needed items are:

• Canned goods
• Ready to eat meals
• Beans, rice, chicken, broths
• Cereal and peanut butter
• Personal hygiene items

Please drive with care on Saturday morning with the many volunteers crossing our streets to pick up the food-drive donations.

The CHCA greatly thanks everyone who decorated, and made our neighborhood such a spooky delight this year! The secret judges noted that our Colonial Hills residents created many prize-worthy Halloween displays, either frightful, whimsical or a combination of the two, for their consideration.

Therefore, the judges reported that their decisions were again very difficult — but in the end, the following were the winners in these categories:

MOST CREATIVE: 524 Colonial

SPOOKIEST: 287 Loveman

FRIENDLIEST: 536 Meadoway

BEST EFFECTS: 363 Loveman

BEST ACTIVITY: 427 S Selby

(And now for the photos (Photo Credits: Secret Judges) – please click the “Continue reading” link below to see these pics which have the following descriptions)

_01 Most Creative, Photo #1
_02 Most Creative, Photo #2
_03 Spookiest #1
_04 Spookiest #2
_05 Friendliest #1
_06 Friendliest #2
_07 Best Effects #1
_08 Best Effects #2
_09 Best Activity #1
_10 Best Activity #2

A great big Thank You to Event Chair Brittany Smith, and also to Mary Wetterauer who recruited eight other Meadoway Park volunteers and donors, and to CHCA President Leslie Caruso who enlisted three other friends and family volunteers, all of whom provided a bountiful afternoon of Halloween-themed crafts, games and treats for our 2023 Halloween Party October 22.

Also, a hearty thanks to Cynthia McKenzie and her three other CYMACK volunteers, who in addition to handing out T-shirts and trick-or-treat bags, provided the pumpkin patch for our Halloween Party, consisting of 150 very sincere pumpkins, all of which had gone to good homes at the conclusion of the event!

The weather was seasonably warm and sunny, and we estimate that there were at least 150-200 costumed characters plus their adults (200 to 400 or so) who enjoyed the activities, including the six stations surrounding the patch which handed out treats.

The photos below were taken around 2:56 PM, right before the official start of the event at 3:00 PM, after which it seemed that all of Colonial Hills came over to the park for the festivities. The photographer couldn’t take photos during the event due to handing out candy at one of the stations, but can attest that there was joyous energy from the multitude throughout the event, overflowing when many of the kids literally ran from one activity and station to another!

Again, thanks to all the volunteers who made this another wonderful day in our neighborhood!

(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)

_01 Setup almost complete, backs to camera, L-R in white, Brittany, Leslie, Mary
_02 Pumpkin Patch, CyMack volunteers at right background, with T-shirts & trick/treat bags
_03 Volunteers at bucket game and at craft table, and Brittany giving prize

A Festival of Faith & Nations — with food, music, games, entertainment and prizes — will be held Sunday, August 20, from 4 to 7 PM, at Selby Park, 358 N. Selby Blvd.

All are welcome to this free of charge, family friendly, alcohol and drug free event, to which Worthington Interfaith Neighbors invites everyone — a gathering for people of all faiths, cultures and national backgrounds, and a great opportunity to meet Worthington neighbors of cultures and faiths different from your own, some of whom may be recent immigrants.

You can purchase food from the Adam’s Eden Food Truck (food from multiple cuisines – halal), Ali’s Afghani treats and Dairy Queen, or bring your own picnic, while you enjoy live music from Bublitschki (Klezmer Musicians) and Taiko (Japanese Drumming). Also if you wish, you can bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, etc.

Presented by Worthington Interfaith Neighbors and Worthington Community Relations Commission.

Update, 8/11/2023: Event to be RESCHEDULED

The Buddy Box Packing that was scheduled for this Sunday, August 13, at 6250 Singletree Dr, Columbus, has been CANCELLED, and the link to the SignUpGenius has been removed from this blogpost.

The cancellation is due to a water pipe bursting at the business next door, and water got into the Family Mentor Foundation (FMF) area. Cleanup will take place early next week.

This event will be rescheduled as soon as possible, and in the meantime, thank you to everyone who signed up to volunteer!

*** ***

Buddy Boxes are weekend food boxes containing kid-friendly, nutritious, nonperishable, individual sized-food items that are easy for children to eat or prepare on their own. provided to hungry children at schools in Worthington, Columbus and South-Western City School Districts.

Please visit Family Mentor Foundation for more information about additional opportunities to volunteer or donate.

Please plan to attend one of these two open house public meetings to provide feedback on the Master Plan that the Age-Friendly Worthington Steering Committee has created, a plan based on what other communities have done and previous Worthington community input meetings:

• Tuesday, July 25, 10 AM to noon – Old Worthington Library, Owl Meeting Room, or
• Tuesday, July 25, 5 to 7 PM – Worthington Community Center, Community Room

The Master Plan is the next step subsequent to the May, 2023 workshop planning sessions for the Age-Friendly Action Plan, which some Colonial Hills residents attended; these workshop sessions were follow-up steps to the 2021 surveys many residents returned and the 2021 focus groups some residents attended.

Background information is available in the CHCA website blogpost Register for Age-Friendly Worthington Planning Session and the Age-Friendly Worthington web page.

Your ongoing input is important — so make sure to stop by for one of these open house sessions, to discuss with Committee members how the plan incorporates some of our discussion themes, such as senior-friendly housing and ageing in place, transportation for folks who can no longer drive or don’t wish to, and connection with the community and activities to stay involved, including printed communication of upcoming events.

Kudos and 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 what may very well have been the best Colonial Hills 4th of July Event subsequent to fifty years ago when the Colonial Hills 4th of July was the premier community holiday event in all of Worthington!

The best of the recent era? Yes! Amanda and her committee started planning for the event four months ago, and were able to provide many more midway games, plus a double-lane slip n’ slide (twice the fun!). the addition of the 50-50 raffle, a cotton-candy stand, both a youth and adult watermelon eating contest, plus the return of favorites such as the dunk tank, two bounce houses, face painting, Kona Ice and another delicious food vendor, Branded BBQ, with all activities seeming to flow seamlessly. The CHCA officers, along with former event chair Jenny Kendall, pitched in to help Amanda according to their roles with planning and implementation, including providing for Venmo payments, event direction, 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, and former Park Overlook resident Brian Wright donated all those 2-liter bottles of pop for the ring toss game.

We estimate at least 300 or more people attended (there were 220 for Kona Ice alone!), and we suspect many of these folks hope that Amanda will be able to serve as Chair for many years to come!

The winners in our competitions were:

Race Results

The 5k Race Co-Chairs Courtney Jolley and Jeff Spain and their volunteers, yet again provided a great day for a 5k, with the greatest number of runners/walkers (201) since 2016! Courtney and Jeff’s planning and organizational expertise for the race was challenged this year much more than usual, by the ongoing excavation of Colonial Hills streets for the new water lines project, with Colonial and Foster being unavailable on race day as parts of the traditional Run Through the Hills course. Jeff and Courtney masterfully overcome this obstacle with a well-designed and well-marked alternate course, led by a Worthington Police Officer cruiser. Please see the separate 2023 5k Race Results blogpost for details.

We congratulate everyone who participated, and especially the overall winning runners, with their spectacular times: Jonathan Allen (14:59.97) and Hannah Moulton (16:53.89)! Please click on the links below to view:

• Overall Finish List Results
• Results by Age Group
• Our Race Results Archive, 1998-2023
• Or, select the Race website Results tab for searchable and age-group results

Kiddie Parade Winners, by Category

Long-time Chair Mary Ann Ogle again expertly planned and conducted this joyous event for the neighborhood. Mary Ann noted that we had a great turnout, a wonderful time was had by all participants (young and older), and the kids (with maybe some parental assistance) did a great job this year decorating their mode of transportation! Mary Ann thanks her judges: Robin Ogle (Co-Chair), Jim Kidd, Julie Freeman and Kathy Moore, who selected these winners in the following categories:

Bicycles
1st Place- Ellie Armstrong Phillips (11yrs)
2nd Place- TIE Eli Thines (4yrs) and Hannah Hughes (4yrs)
3rd Place- TIE Evie Miller (6yrs) and Becka Miller (5yrs)

Scooters
1st Place- Everly White (7yrs)
2nd Place- Iris Johnson (7yrs)
3rd Place- Sophie R. (10yrs) and Zenna R. (5yrs)

Strollers
1st Place- Tillie Guerrero
2nd Place- Hudson
3rd Place- Miya Semenya

Wagons and Floats
1st Place- Goose & Maverik (aka Joey & Emily Mittelman), Noah Mertz, Eli Mertz, Cassie, Shannon, Joe, Blanche, Sean
2nd Place- Hudson Spain
3rd Place- Naomi Lemnard

Dogs and Walkers
1st Place- Anna & Kramer with dog Maude

Watermelon Eating Contest Winners, by Category

The no-nonsense 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 no red was showing:

Youth- Bennett Royse
Adult- Adam Calhoon

(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)

_01 Good Morning, Colonial Hills! Jeff Announces 5K Run Through the Hills
_02 Start of 5K
_03 Race Leaders After Start with Police Cruiser Leading the Way
_04 More Runners After Start with Police Cruiser in Distance
_05 Volunteer Christine Checks Off 5k Winner Jonathan Allen
_06 Courtney and Jeff Present Award to Rachael
_07 Courtney Presents Award to Jeff Shields, Perennial Top 20 Finisher (Won 1998, 2000, 4th 2008, 2nd 2009), Who Now Owns the 60+ Category
_08 Midway Setup Almost Complete – 9:45 AM
_09 Kiddie Parade Starting Line
_10 Mary Ann (with Bullhorn) Announces Kiddie Parade Route/Rules
_11 Start of Kiddie Parade Around Selby Park
_12 Kiddie Parade Co-Chairs Robin and Mary Ann Present Awards – Event Chair Amanda at Right by Door
_13 Robin and Mary Ann Present Kiddie Parade Awards
_14 Double Lane Water Slide – Twice the Fun!
_15 Two-Lanes Water Slide!
_16 Dunk Tank – Good Throwing Form but Slightly Off the Mark!
_17 Crafts Table
_18 Face Painting
_19 Midway Games
_20 Kids Bounce House
_21 Lollipop Tree
_22 Midway Games
_23 Receiving Her Prize for Plinko
_24 Dunk Tank – Splash Down! And Kona Ice to the Left!
_25 Youth Watermelon Eating Contest – Winner Bennett Royse (Light Blue Shirt at End)
_26 More Midway Games
_27 And More Midway Games!
_28 Gone Fishing Game
_29 Adult Watermelon Eating Contest – Winner is Declared To Be Adam Calhoon – Alan at Back
_30 Adult Watermelon Eating Contest – Winner Adam with Prize
_31 Branded BBQ and Cotton Candy! It Doesn’t Get Any Better than This!

It was a great day for the 44th Annual 5k in Colonial Hills! Not too humid, with a slight breeze, in our beautiful tree-lined streets. As always, the expertise and hard work of Event Chairs Courtney Jolley and Jeff Spain and their volunteers made the event appear to happen seamlessly, and thanks to their publicity efforts, we had the greatest number of runners/walkers (201) since 2016!

But this year, Jeff and Courtney also had to overcome the challenge of the ongoing, extensive water lines replacement project excavating the streets in Colonial Hills — by designing an alternate course (see diagram below), which masterfully solved the problem of the non-availability of Colonial and Foster as parts of the traditional course on July 4.

Change can be difficult, but Jeff reviewed the course modifications, which were well-marked along the way, with the runners immediately prior to the start of the race, and a Worthington Police Officer Cruiser led the way. And we suspect that many of the runners were secretly grateful for the alternate course this year, in that its difficulty declined from what the unsuspecting runner would find to be brutal to merely challenging, by removing the traditional course’s final uphill stretch of Foster-Kenbrook-Greenwich.

Accordingly, we congratulate everyone who participated, and especially the overall winning runners, who ran the following spectacular times: Jonathan Allen (14:59.97) and Hannah Moulton (16:53.89)! Please click on the links below to view:

• Overall Finish List Results
• Results by Age Group
• Our Race Results Archive, 1998-2023
• Or, select the Race website Results tab for searchable and age-group results

Run Through the Hills Alternate 5K Course, Colonial Hills, Worthington, OH, July 4, 2023