A history of "Sharing Hopes And Nourishing Needs Of Neighbors"
By Duane Bollenbacher and Patien Dulaney
Duane:
In 1997 a group of young couples and individuals in Bluffton formed the Bluffton Junior Chamber of Commerce (the Jaycees). After one year they decided they did not like paying big dues that were sent out of town. So in 1998 they formed a local service club--called the Bluffton Area Service Organization, or BASO. They existed for a couple years and they got busy, most of them with young children and disbanded. When the Exchange Club was formed, BASO gave them ideas for activities and turned over the money in their account.
There were 25 members when the Exchange Club officially started on April 25, 2003. The activities were dictated by International Headquarters and 90% of the expensive dues went out of town. As the President and other officers became busy elsewhere, our numbers dwindled extensively but we still tried to do all the nationally-dictated activities. We finally got down to a very small number, myself being the only remaining charter member from the Exchange Club just three years prior.
The Village of Bluffton has announced that the Parks & Recreation Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 25 has been moved to 5:30 p.m. (This is a time change from the original 6:00 p.m. time)
The Bluffton High School string orchestra received a superior rating at the OMEA State Orchestra Adjudicated Event on February 21. The orchestra performed: ‘Dragon Fire’ by Susan Day, ‘Danse Infernale’ by Elliot del Borgo and ‘Prairie Trail’ by Jeffrey Bishop. The orchestra is directed by Rachael E. Lewis. Students: Liliana Liberato, Maia Gearing, Katie Bauman, Zoe Shank, Ethan Hoffman, Claire Phillips, Ellie Hartzler, Phoebe Edwards-Leeper, Eva McBrien, Kelsey Bauman, Georgia Hagen, Daphne Johnston, Leo Gearing, Emma Miller, Emmitt Kidd, Leah Shadle, Charlotte Kidd, Laney Kiene. (Not pictured: Rebekah Rehm.) PHOTO by Sarah Kidd.
The Bluffton Lions Club inducted five new members in February and announced the March 4 Charter night for the Leo Club of Bluffton High School. (See attached February 2025 newsletter.)
Leo Charter Night will take place from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on March 4 at Bluffton Town Hall. Members will be inducted and officers will be installed.
March 18 Club Meeting: Speaker Dave Sycks will talk about the Bluffton Schools music program.
April 15 Citizen of the Year Program. If you have candidates, contact Lion John Rich.
The greatest Pirate basketball game I ever witnessed in an away game was against Liberty-Benton on February 12, 2000. LB was 17-0 and ranked 3d in the state. Bluffton had a talented team that was 16-2 and led by 6 ft-7 in Kyle Lowry and Michael Kingsley, who still holds the record (1,162) for most points scored in school history. Coach Rich Shaner said the team had a good previous season and had high expectations for the 1999-2000 season. The experienced team had strong guard play, post play also, and there was good balance on the scoring. The team was speedy, quick, and could shoot well both in the paint or outside the 3-point line.
The game was played on a Saturday night. Twenty-four hours earlier, Bluffton defeated Crestview to win the Northwest Conference Championship outright with a 10-0 record. On that same Friday night LB had won a tough game as well. LB was strong on their home court and was favored. The Pirates had other ideas.
