Larry S. Tolle 1969, President; Rocky Wheeler 1970, 1st Vice President; Wayne Wells 1970, 2nd Vice President; Jaunita Wells Clutter 1972, Treasurer; Dwaine Thomas 1973, Financial Secretary; Bonnie Wylie Hare 1969, Recording Secretary; Robert Stone 1967, Membership Chair; Norma Ankrom 1954, Chaplain; Bill Boivin 1969, Museum Chair

October, 2008

To all Ex-Pupils and Associates,

Our Reunion 2008 was well attended. More people arrived on Friday than in many, many years. The attendances of the O.V.C.H. Home Kids are steadily rising and hope the numbers steadily increase in the coming years. WE ARE ALL HOME KIDS.

This year we were honored to have two grills fired up for our cookouts. Jud Targett, Class of 1969 and Chester Hill, Class of 1972 volunteered to cook and manned separate grills. They had plenty to cook for a hungry crowd for all three days. A huge “Thank You” to you both! Donations from SuperValu, Inc. (Xenia, OH. Division) was made possible this year by Patti Marshall Hanson. Thank you Patti! I also want to mention Don Clark, Class of 1968 for putting our Reunion programs together on his own time. Thank you Don.

Bingo on Saturday night was well attended. Thank you Norma Ankrom for calling bingo. Chick-Fil-A of Beavercreek, OH. was gracious enough to donate over $500.00 in free food coupons as prizes for winners of bingo. With these donations, our organization has saved many dollars over the past years. I can’t stress enough the need for volunteers for labor, time and donation drives for our events. If anyone that has any contacts for any donations, let me know with your name and sponsor. I can follow up with a letterhead to them. Ideal donations would be from national businesses.

The Banquet was extremely nice. It was held in the Orphans Den. We had a full house and the food was great. Volunteers; Bonnie Wylie Hare and Darlene Kelly beautifully decorated the tables. Thanks girls! Two names were added to the A.X.P. Hall of Fame during our Banquet. They are Bill Tester, Class of 1942 and William McCracken, Class of 1877. Jan Zahn, Class of 1948 spoke on behalf of Bill Tester and William Chavanne, Class of 1955 spoke on behalf of William McCracken.

The Board and I want to thank all that pre-registered for the 2008 Reunion. In doing so, it reduces a lot of confusion and saves everyone a lot of time. Once again I’m attaching the Official A.X.P. Membership Application to this letter.

Being a Non-Profit Organization, I want to thank all that have made contributions to the Loyalty Fund; many to name but many more needed. Our existence solely relies on the continuances of your donations and Membership fees.

On a note, during hurricane Ike’s extremely high winds that came through the Ohio Valley, many trees got blown down and limbs broken off. Unfortunately a large limb fell on the left corner of the Museum roof. Minor damage was caused and will be repaired by Legacy Ministries.

I would like to remind everyone that our ANNUAL A.X.P. CHRISTMAS DINNER is approaching. This will take place on SATURDAY, 13th DECEMBER, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in the ORPHANS DEN. This will be a carry-in dinner. The A.X.P. Board and Committee Members are providing the meats. We, the Board are asking of those who wish to attend, please contribute a filled covered dish. Please let the membership chair know if you will be attending and what you will be bringing. A few suggestions are: SALADS, DESSERTS, VEGGIES, BREADS, ROLLS, BUTTER, RELISH TRAY and JELLO/PUDDINGS.

Come join in on our Christmas Carol and help spread the Joy of the Holidays. If you find yourself with us, THANK YOU. If not, please keep us in your prayers as we will keep you in our prayers.

Respectfully,
Larry S. Tolle, Class of 1969
A.X.P. President 2006-2008

Over the past two years a lot of changes for the Museum has came about; offices being built in the basement of the Museum for the A.X.P. Board & the Rooney Foundation Board, sidewalks (front door handicap access), a 12’X20’ A.X.P. Grounds Maintenance Building and landscaping. A lot of good things are happening for our Museum. I would like to mention that we do accept donations of items and if possible, to put them on display in the Museum.

We do tours of the Museum. Just contact Bill Boivin, Museum Chairperson; Larry Tolle, A.X.P. President or myself. We are all in the A.X.P Directory.

The A.X.P. Board and Committee members would like to thank Mr. Bob Impson, Class of 1941, for all the time this man has devoted in giving tours. If you haven’t had a tour of the Museum by Bob, you have missed a lot of knowledge of the Home’s history. He keeps it all so interesting.

In closing, if we could just get one Ex-Pupil to come Home and join the A.X.P., we have done our job.

Thank you,
Rocky Wheeler, 1st Vice President

This directory will be available for all members that have paid dues for the year of 2008 and to a limited number of those that haven't paid their dues. To save monies, the Board has decided to distribute the Directories to those that have paid their 2008 dues during our Annual Christmas Dinner. For those that can't attend our Annual Christmas Dinner, your 2008-2009 Directory will be mailed to you. The next Directory will be edited from the 2009 registrations and will be put to print in the 2009-2010 A.X.P. Directory.

Update On "History Of Our Home".......
The writing of another history of our Home is a major effort. In January of 2006 The Rooney Fund decided that another history of the Home should be written, and to begin the project Dr. Birgette Soland was given a contract to create an oral history from interviews with students and employees.

We are now in the final phase of the project - the writing of the history. At the January 2007 meeting of The Rooney Fund we selected Mr. Edward Lentz to write the history of the Home. Mr. Lentz has spent his career teaching and writing Ohio and American History, and has worked for The Ohio Historical Society and The Columbus Landmarks Foundation. He also has taught and teaches history classes at the Central Ohio colleges and Universities. He has written several books and writes a weekly newspaper column on the history of Columbus. Mr. Lentz is expected to complete his work and publish the book by the end of 2009.

The written histories we have received to this point vary in length from two (2) to over twenty (20) pages. Both the oral histories and written histories are a joy to read and are very informative, but most importantly they tell the story of the success of our Home - our school - and the dedicated people who raised us. They remind us of our own personal circumstances that brought us to the Home and our experiences at the Home. We are fortunate to have a home where we can always return to see old friends and recount the days of our youth. While the oral history phase is complete, you can still write your own story of the Home as it was seen by you during your childhood.

The Rooney Fund Board has discussed printing these personal interviews as they are written in a separate book. They tell their own history. If we do decide to print the stories, we will return to each person their interview for their review.

Those who want to submit their written thoughts on the Home and their days as a student should send it to:

The Rooney Fund
c/o William Chavanne
1209 Westwood Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43212

The Rooney Fund is grateful to all of you who have participated so far and hope even more of you will add your thoughts. We believe this history will show Ohioans what a great place was once here for its needy children and will make us proud to say, "This is where I was raised - this is my Home."

Thank you,
William Chavanne
Rooney Foundation President

_________________________________________________________________


An excerpt from our "Pride of Ohio".......Page #17

XENIA SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOME IS IN NO SENSE TO BE CONSIDERED A CHARITY
      From the foregoing it is obvious that when our fathers went to war, they were fully assured of the support in a respectable and creditable manner of their loved ones. No child in the Xenia Soldiers' Orphans' Home,  should for one second consider that the Home represents a charity of the State nor tollerate such thought from any source. Your education in the Xenia Home has been fully paid for by the arrearages justly due and never paid your fathers for their services to their country. Would anyone have the temerity to suggest our soldier pensioners are subjects of charity? The pensions represent arrearages due them and if not paid to them it is due from the government to their dependents.
      We should all be proud of the fact we are a product of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home and not hesitate to let people know it.

Preceding the previous paragraph......

RETURN OF THE VETERANS FROM THE WAR
      April 12, 1865, General Robert E. Lee commanding the Confederate Army of Virginia met General U. S. Grant, commanding the Union Army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, where terms of surrender were signed.
      Thousands of boys returned from the war expecting to resume their business or other vocations; in many instances they found others in their places which necessitated beginning life anew.
      Some returned in apparent health, perfect in body; many others maimed for life. Others who had made the supreme sacrifice were brought home to lay with their fathers.
      Whitelaw Reid said: "Of Ohio's third of a million soldiers, thirty-seven out of every thousand fell dead or mortally wounded in battle; forty-seven more died in hospitals of wounds received in battle; seventy-one were honorably discharged by reason of sickness or wounds incurred in their country's service." Many  were returned home with legless trousers, as were the author's father and grandfather each of whom lost their right leg in the same battle on the same day. Others returned with armless sleeves, others with their ears closed to the world's sweet music and the voices of loved ones, still others enveloped in complete darkness.