Union Township (June 15, 2026) – Every heart beat true for the red, white and blue at The Great American Birthday Party and Art Show in Union Township on June 15, with an estimated 125 in attendance to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding.
“The spirit in this room and in the county, what a wonderful place we live in. Thank you to everyone for putting together this event, and thank you for sharing your talent,” Commissioner Claire Corcoran told the crowd. “It’s special to share this not only with ourselves here today, but we are building a future for our children by teaching them the love that we have for America.”
The 30-minute program at the civic center on Aicholtz Road was full of singing, dancing, flag waving, and, yes, some yummy birthday cake.
It was a collaboration of Clermont County government and its commissioners, Clermont Senior Services and the Clermont County Public Library.
The art exhibit featured some 40 patriotic quilts and watercolor paintings handmade by local seniors who participate in community programs hosted by Clermont Senior Services. It even included a quilt made by a late local resident to commemorate America’s Bicentennial in 1976. More than 30 artists contributed to the exhibit honoring the current milestone to mark the U.S. Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026.
The celebration opened with the Presentation of Colors by Ty Powers and Jay Schnarrenberg of the New Richmond Color Guard. Clermont County librarian Lisa Breithaupt and her husband Tim, son Joshua and daughter Isabel led the crowd singing the national anthem a cappella. The Breithaupt family later led a patriotic sing-along accompanied by pianist Annie Takeuchi Lanzone to tunes such as “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “America the Beautiful.”
Ron Mohr, another Clermont County librarian, wowed the audience with the history and recitation of Emma Lazarus’ poem “The New Colossus.” Mohr explained that Lazarus wrote the poem in 1883 to support fundraising for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. The text that includes “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” is engraved in bronze on the statue’s pedestal.
The program wrapped up with a dance performance and sing-along by the troupe, which dubs itself the BB Chicks. The “Chicks,” who were decked out in red-and-white striped outfits and cowboy hats, handed out American flags while the audience sang and swayed to Lee Greenwood’s “I’m Proud to be an American.”
The exhibit will be on display at several other local locations for the rest of the summer. Check www.clermontcountyohio.gov for details. Learn more about every America 250-related event scheduled to take place across the county in 2026: https://www.discoverclermont.com/america250/.
The following are the names of the quilters and artists who made everything, and the BB Chicks:
Catheleen Becker
Bobbie Blevins
Lynda Bruggeman
Sue Dennedy
Elanie Eldridge
Sue Fischer
Sherrie Heyes
Laura Joy
Jennifer Niehaus
Karen Reed
Eileen Roth
Sheena Wilms
Nancy Withers
Sharron Sekol
Kathy Wolfer
Robbie Young
Celest Yuskewich
Pat Brown
Patty Gill
Valerie Stevenson
Debbie Reece
Anna Arment
Watercolor Artists
Jeanie Bowman
Maureen Dwyer
Christine Gray
Karen Luman
Jan Pastor
Toni Pestro
Renee Pike
Janet Reeves
Michelle Pare
Jan Pastor
Anna Arment
BB Chicks
Cheryl Taylor
Annie Takeuchi Lanzone
MJ Finn
Amy Faught
Tokie Wade
Sheryl Roth
Pris Prem
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