By Tamara Taylor

Location , Location ...

My cousin was reading the Harrison column ( page 6B ) and stopped , staring at me in awe . She grew up in a small town in Connecticut , the kind where everyone knows your name . Sound familiar ?

All small towns must be the same , right ? Wrong . My cousin ’ s awe was caused by the outpouring of love and support shown by the town of Harrison for one ten-yearold boy who was undergoing cancer treatments . I won ’ t spoil the joy of reading the article for you but suffice it to say that every creature was stirring , and even the mouse . “ That would never have happened where I grew up ,” said my cousin as she shook her head .

We all get comfortable in our lives and our surroundings . That ’ s human nature . But comments like my cousin ’ s make me stop and realize how special our community is .

So let ’ s talk about comfort . The comfort of your home is something we take for granted ... until your HVAC needs service . Then what ! If you are lucky , you already know about the incredibly competent voice you will reach when you call Hirt and Ellco in Batesville . That voice belongs to Scott Lamping and has consoled a number of home owners over the years .

But Scott ’ s involvement in the community goes way beyond his responsibilities as one of the owners of Hirt and Ellco . His employees describe him as a very considerate man who has a great deal of compassion . He sits and truly listens to people . Shannon Snelling said , “ Scott is a genuinely nice guy , He treats all of his employees like family .”

Mr . Lamping is a member of St . Louis Catholic Church in Batesville . Naturally , when he sees a need at the church ,

he does his best to fill it . Mr . Lamping is a Eucharistic minister who gives out the bread and wine during mass . For over two decades Mr . Lamping has also been a monthly volunteer at Bingo . That dedication alone is enough to make me want to attend Bingo just to see what Mr . Lamping ’ s bingo-calling skills are !

Oldenburg Academy has proven to be a source of great inspiration for Mr . Lamping . He has been a member of OASIS ( Oldenburg Academy Students in Sports ) for almost a decade . For the past several years , he has taken on the all-encompassing role of president of the organization . OASIS has a multitude of annual fund raisers to help with the cost of student-athletes ’ uniforms , equipment , and entrance fees . Special projects such as refinishing the gym floor and building a storage / practice barn have also been funded by OASIS . Mr . Lamping has been instrumental in raising over $ 170,000 which included funds for O . A .’ s Big Bus and two other buses that make participation in sports possible for the students .

Scott Lamping has instilled the tradition of giving back to one ’ s community in his family . He and his wife , Sarah , are deeply rooted in the community .

One can always find Mr . Lamping selling pretzels and drinks at the annual Oldenburg Freudenfest or volunteering at the annual OASIS Cornhole Tournament held in the Fall . He is also instrumental in organizing the Oldenburg Classic Basketball Tournaments for seventh- and eighth-grade boys and girls . And I heard Mr . Lamping often shows off his culinary skills at the annual OASIS Breakfast held each April . Once in a while , you might even find him selling concessions at OA home games .

Scott Lamping was recently awarded the Theresa Hackelmeier Leadership Award . The honor is bestowed upon someone who demonstrates outstanding leadership and service in support of Oldenburg Academy . Mr . Lamping has certainly gone above and beyond to create new initiatives to inspire others to ‘ lean in ’ and support the students at O . A .

The Lamping family has been an avid supporter of the Batesville YMCA . Mr . Lamping served on the board for six years and can always be counted on to lend a helping hand . “ Scott always has a smile on his face and is a pleasure to work with ,” said Ted Harmeyer , CFO of the YMCA . Although Mr . Harmeyer and Mr . Lamping have been friends since college , no secret stories could be divulged .

Mr . Lamping ’ s community spirit of giving back is shared by his wife , Sarah . She is the Economic Development Director for the City of Batesville and has been instrumental

in promoting its new slogan , “ Craft Your Life .” The slogan reflects the key things that define Batesville such as innovative education at public and private schools . The Lamping family ’ s commitment to Batesville is indicative of a rich history of community involvement .

The spirit of giving back has been instilled in his children as well . His daughter Ella is involved in a community outreach program spanning across continents to Africa where she helps people with entrepreneurial spirit . I am sure you share my curiosity for learning more about her once-in-a-lifetime experience . Stay tuned !

Mr . Lamping ’ s youngest son , Stuart , is currently showing interest in signing up for the Coast Guard . His oldest son Peter just graduated from UC and will be traveling the world in his newest endeavors .

Many thanks to Scott and his entire family for making our community what it is today .

Someone who owns property in Ohio County and is there on the weekends recently shared with a mutual friend that her neighbors don ’ t stop by to visit . Hopefully , this is not indicative of our wonderful culture changing from the pressures of our fast-paced world . I can only encourage her , and you , to reach out to your neighbors , both new and old , to say hello . The unexpected “ gift ” that you discover will come back tenfold when you least expect it .

The Spoon Man , Jim Cruise visits with a hilarious interactive comedy show featuring singing , music , impressions , and spoons of course ! All ages .

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The Beacon is an independent monthly publication with distribution in Dearborn , Ripley , Franklin and Ohio Counties in Indiana and Harrison , Ohio . Published since 1994 .

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