Page 14 - The Buzz 06/12/2026

C2 | NEARBY NEWS The JUNE 12 - 25, 2026
Hot Air Balloon Festival CONTINUED FROM A5

soared into Coshocton African American Community Fund

implement “Journeys to
Freedom,” a four-day immersive provides food and personal
hygiene items to underprivileged
LYNETTE DOTSON | THE BUZZ
summer youth camp families
• Coshocton Community Table to • Nkyinkyim Educational
support Food for Recovery, a Preparedness to support the
peer-led, trauma-informed Enrollment Arc and the
program that helps Coshocton assistance it provides to Black
County individuals in substance families in Hocking County who
use recovery through simple, are navigating the college
accessible nutrition transition process
• Cutler History and Legacy • Ohio District Council to support
Society of Washington County to its two camps that engage youth
help purchase historical markers in personal development,
for Cutler’s Underground Rail creative expression and
road stations, conductors and community building
agents
• Ohio Valley Youth Network to
• Dress to Succeed Ohio to support the Sycamore Youth
support and expand its Clothing, Fishing and Mentoring Initiative,
Confidence and Career a hands-on outdoor education
Readiness Initiative that equips and character development
underserved individuals with program serving underserved
clothing and personal hygiene youth in Jefferson County
kits needed to pursue
employment, education and • Pump House Center for the Arts
successful reintegration into in Ross County to support its
society 2026 Juneteenth celebration

• Free Indeed Prison Ministries • Rendville Historic Preservation
Inc. to support its Urban Society to help replace the siding
Agriculture Youth Program, on the Little White House, the
which employs Trumbull County only remaining miner’s house on
youth ages 12-17 to operate a Rendville’s Main Street and
greenhouse, providing them with future home of the Jerry Jackson
hands-on instruction in History Center
sustainable agriculture practices
while increasing access to fresh, • Second Baptist Church of
locally grown food Steubenville to support its 2026
Juneteenth celebration
• Game Changers Leadership
and Peer Mentoring Initiative to • Tablertown People of Color
support its Leadership Tour Museum in Athens County to
Summit, a program designed to help develop marketing
prepare high school students in materials and provide
the Mahoning Valley for success administrative and grant
beyond graduation management services

• Briggs Lawrence County Public • Tuscarawas Society for
Library to support a project that Children and Adults Inc. (also
will install a commemorative known as Rainbow Connection)
bench at a historically significant to provide assistance to
Underground Railroad site in Tuscarawas County residents
Ironton as part of a year-long who are disabled and
celebration of Nobel Prize- disadvantaged as well as to the
winning Ohio author Toni schools and nonprofit
Morrison and Lawrence County’s organizations that support them
Underground Railroad history
•Warriors 2 Wilderness in
The Touchtone Energy Cooperative balloon was tethered with extra restraints during the Night Glow • Hyer Merit Association to Muskingum County to
and was the only balloon able to be lit during the festival tradition due to windy conditions. Additional support its Life Hack Experience, support Pathways to Resilience,
balloon pilots still put on a fascinating candlestick glow despite the setback. Lynette Dotson
which prepares 16- to 18-year- a nature-based wellness
COSHOCTON, Ohio — Many of us Around 20 pilots brought their bal- olds in Mahoning and Trumbull program that supports veterans
have fond memories and many photos loons to the festival this year. Some of counties for life beyond the class as they navigate stress,
gathered throughout the years of the Co- the balloon-related events did not hap- room through simulations, isolation, trauma and the
shocton Hot Air Balloon Festival. It has pen as planned due to weather condi- mentorship and real challenges of reintegration into
become a summer tradition that spans tions. But thanks to the pilots being will- decision-making civilian life
multiple generations and is one of the ing to pivot, events like the Night Glow
longest-running festivals of its kind in could still be held just in a different way. • Inspiring Minds to support the • YWCA Greater Cincinnati to
the state. For the Night Glow, the Touchstone En- entrepreneurship component of support its Housing and
This year, the three-day event was held ergy Cooperative balloon had the equip- the Summer Enrichment Supportive Services program
June 4 through 6, 2026, at the Coshoc- ment necessary to keep it safely teth- Program for youth in Warren for domestic violence survivors
ton County Fairgrounds. ered during the glow, while others put on and their families in Adams,
For over 40 years, balloon pilots have a candlestick glow. The heat could be • Kool Boiz Foundation to support Brown and Clermont counties
been able to dazzle spectators with felt from the stands, and the display still the Young Men’s Empowerment
demonstrations like balloon launches, made for some beautiful photos and a Series Mentoring Program, • Zanesville Civic League
tethered balloon rides, and the high- captivating show. serving boys and young men of Community Center LLC to
ly anticipated Night Glow. The festival Save the date for next year’s festival, color in grades 6-12 in support The Village Within, a
also incorporates rides, food, vendors, scheduled for June 10-12, 2027, the Youngstown community-center initiative de
fireworks, and live music to provide ad- second weekend after Memorial Day. signed to strengthen individuals
ditional fun for the family-friendly event. Admission and parking for the balloon • Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the and families by fostering
Live music for this year’s festival in- festival are completely free, making it a Past to support its programs and connection, personal growth and
cluded Seventy80 and Victorious Kay- popular summer event that can be en- events educating the public on mutual support
Birds. joyed by all. the Civil Rights Movement and
During the festival’s kick-off, the For more information about the Co- racial justice AACF, one of FAO’s 15 affiliate
committee chairman for the event, Phil shocton Hot Air Balloon Festival, follow foundation partners, was estab-
Linne, got to fly in celebration of his them on Facebook or visit • Mahoning Youngstown lished in 2020 to develop and grow
80th+ birthday. Additionally, over 100 coshoctonhotairballoonfestival.com. Community Action Partnership permanent resources that provide
people enjoyed the tethered rides. to support the MYCAP Mobile continuous investment in Appala-
Pantry, which serves chian Ohio’s Black communities.
economically disadvantaged Each year, earnings from charitable
seniors in the rural community giving to AACF’s endowment fund
of Sebring are reinvested in the region’s Black
communities through grants that
• Mount Zion Black Cultural meet the greatest needs and most
Center to support the opening promising opportunities.
exhibit of its newly renovated To learn more about AACF and how
and historic space in Athens to support its work, visit
AppalachianOhio.org/AACF, email
• Muskingum County NAACP AACF@ffao.org or call 740.753.1111.
Branch 3209 to support its Feed
the Streets initiative, which

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