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 Oakwood City Councilman Roger Blumensheid announced today that he will not seek reelection in the fall. He has served on city council for six years, appointed for two years after the departure of Mayor Gretchen Bullock and then elected for another four years. He cites the reason for his decision on the need to focus his attention on business and personal matters. Mr. Blumensheid not only serves on city council but also represents the City of Oakwood as the vice president of the council of governments Miami Valley Communication Council, drafts policy for the Information Technology and Communications Steering Committee for the National League of Cities, and is active in the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
During his tenure, he has seen and been part of many changes. He helped plan the Wright Brothers 2003 celebration, worked on Oakwood’s first Oakwood public arts project, on the building of the new Service facilities at 210 Shafor and city building on Park Avenue. He was involved in the Sugar Camp development project, the removal of curb and apron and corner lot side yard and sidewalk from maintenance assessment, the Far Hills streetscape improvement, the change in key safety department personnel, the new parking lot for the business district, the recently-approved opening of Hawthorn Hill for public tours, and most important, no new city tax increases.
Blumensheid is also an Advisory and Assistance Services Defense contractor working for Haverstick Government Solutions and assigned to Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) STINFO Office at Wright-Patterson AFB. His daily duties involve the tactical application of AFMC policy, public law, DoD directives and Air Force instruction as they relate to scientific and technical information. He also serves as an advisor to DoD Technical Transfer Interactive Program Team, AFMC Technology Protection Working Group, AFMC-EIM Information Architecture CCB, DoD Interlaboratory Committee on Editing and Publishing, and is an active AFMC Inspector General Team Augmentee.
“Serving Oakwood as a city councilman is a rewarding yet time consuming position. I do urge anyone interested in serving the community to complete the necessary paperwork and be included in this year’s election”, Blumensheid said.
Three positions on city council are to be selected this fall. Aug. 6 is the deadline for application paperwork to be completed and returned to the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
 Former Oakwood resident and OHS Class of ’50 alumnus Gene Folkerth finished 10th overall in the 75-79 age group of the golf division at the World Senior Olympics held last week June 25-27 in Louisville, Ky.
Folkerth played 54 holes over three days and on the last day of the tournament he placed third – with a case of food poisoning to boot! The Senior Olympics had over 12,000 competitors this year.
 DePauw University recognized a 1977 graduate, Rebecca Hawk Roess of Oakwood, for her outstanding community service and presented her with a 2007 Community Leadership Award during DePauw’s Alumni Reunion Weekend in June.
DePauw alumni have a long tradition of making a difference through their leadership in community organizations. Roess’ community leadership includes the following:
- Member, Executive Committee, Oakwood Schools Education Foundation
- Board member, Wright Memorial Library Board of Trustees
- Chair, Project Grant Committee, Four Seasons Garden Club of Dayton
- Past president, Oakwood Board of Education
- Steering committee member, Citizens for Wright Library
- Chair, Oakwood Schools Business Advisory Council
- President, Learning Tree Farm Board of Trustees
- Founding partner and co-chair, Carillon Historical Park Bell Board
- Member, Dorothy Lane Market Consumer Advisory Board
- Board member, Muse Machine
- Committee member, The Dayton Foundation Neighbor-to-Neighbor Grants Committee
- Cabinet member, United Way of Greater Dayton
A total of 50 DePauw alumni were recognized with the second annual Community Leadership Awards. A survey indicates that 65 percent of DePauw alumni serve as volunteers in community organizations.
Even though politicians claim that words are “mere rhetoric,” there is no such thing. Even if at times we agree with Eliza Doolittle, “Word, words, I’m sick of words,” we are incapable of communicating without words. In short, words matter. Parents, especially, need to watch their words around children.
We have tremendous power to put down or to build up. From our words children will decide if we’re for them or against them. With words we build a whole world of reality for our children.
Words are powerful entities and must always be treated with respect. Words can be used as weapons. Like grenades they can fall on unsuspecting children and wound them in the core of their hearts. Words can coerce and intimidate. Words can hurt. Words can lie.
On the other hand, words are also help and heal. Parents have so many chances to encourage, motivate, and support children with words.
Philosopher Sam Keen says that the greatest gift a parent gives to his children is “the gift of delight.” He traces the idea of delight to the ancient Jewish blessing. Religion often contains blessings and curses. These verbal constructs offer us a way of understanding the power of words. For example, Jacob blessed his son Joseph with these words: “The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of the eternal mountains, the bounties of the everlasting hills; may they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was separate from his brothers.”
Think about how much it matters if our words fall upon the ears of our children as blessings rather than as curses. Children are deeply influenced by our moods, assumptions, attitudes, and words.
I recommend that each day you find creative ways to express your blessing, your “gift of delight” to your children. Let them know that even in the ups and downs of hectic, pressurized, and exhausted daily living, you are so glad they are here.
Let the words of blessings drop like manna from heaven: “I love you.” “I believe in and trust you.” “I’m so proud of you.” “You’re listened to.” “You are welcome in my space.” “You did a lot of hard work today.” “Good job on that homework assignment.” “Now you have figured out how to do it.” “Thank you.” “I’m counting on you.” “You mean the world to me.”
Never miss an opportunity to give your child a blessing. Not only will that blessing bring a smile to her face, it will plant a seed in her heart that will grow into a lasting memory. One day forty years from now, she will smile and remember her childhood with joy. Words, words, positive, helping, healing words, I never tire of them.
Rev. Kennedy is pastor of the First Baptist Church in downtown Dayton, a family counselor and an Oakwood resident.
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