Columbus, OH – Heritage Ohio and Ohio Hill Country Heritage Area will hold the eighth annual Appalachia Heritage Luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium, located at 1 Capitol Square.

The luncheon’s focus is to give Appalachian businesses and organizations that have done remarkable work to the benefit of their communities the opportunity to present what they do for their communities and why they appreciate Appalachia’s heritage.

The groups to be recognized are:

Harrison Coal and Reclamation Historical Park,

Decorative Arts Center of Ohio,

Federal Valley Resource Center,

Union Hall Theater,

Scenic Scioto Heritage Trail,

Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl,

Frederick Kindleberger Stone House and Barn.

The luncheon itself will begin at 11:30 a.m. At noon, Tom O’Grady and Rep. Tim Schaffer will give a welcoming presentation, which will be followed by the seven groups’ success story presentations and the announcement of this year’s Sam Jones Model Citizenship Award recipient. This year the award will go to Cheryl Blosser of New Straitsville

Bob Loversidge, the architect who led the restoration efforts for the Ohio Statehouse and president of Schooley Caldwell Associates, and Nancy Recchie, preservation consultant and co-owner of Benjamin D. Rickey & Co., will give a tour of the Statehouse beginning at 10:30 a.m.

“By holding the event at the statehouse,” said O’Grady, “we hope to demonstrate to our political leadership the level of effort being made as well as the need for greater support for Appalachians.”

Closing remarks will be at 1 p.m. by Jason Wilson, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, and Joyce Barrett, executive director of Heritage Ohio.

Regarding the purpose of the luncheon, Joyce Barrett of Heritage Ohio said, “The spotlight is on honoring the spirit of Appalachian people. These people, businesses, and organizations were selected for their contributions to the Appalachia region.”

Tickets can be purchased on either organizations web sites or Event Brite