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Posts Tagged ‘community events’

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United Way Americana 250 Cycling Classic to Celebrate America’s 250th on Two Wheels

In Charities, Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, Local News, Sports News, Uncategorized on August 18, 2026 at 4:10 pm

(Video production services provided by GLD Communications)

XENIA — Cyclists, families and community supporters are invited to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this fall at the United Way Americana 250 Cycling Classic, set for Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center.

The event combines cycling, local history and family fun while raising money for the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, serving Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties. Registration is now open, with four routes designed for everyone from casual family riders to experienced cyclists seeking a metric century challenge.

The rides will begin and end at the fairgrounds, located at 120 Fairground Road in Xenia, and are part of the well-known Tour de Gem Cycling Series. Greene County serves as the centerpiece of the event because of its extensive paved trail network, the largest in the nation.

Participants can choose from the 10-mile Liberty Ride for families, the 25-mile Pioneer Expedition, the 40-mile Heritage Quest, or the 64-mile Patriot Tour, a metric century route connecting several Greene County communities. But organizers emphasize that the event is about more than cycling.

While riders pay a registration fee, the on-site fairgrounds festivities, known as the Heritage Hub, will be free and open to the public. Visitors can enjoy food trucks, vendor displays, demonstrations and the Young Explorer Zone, featuring a bike course designed especially for small children.

“This event is a celebration of community, history and healthy living,” said Tom Kelley, President and CEO of the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area. “Whether you ride 10 miles or 64, volunteer, sponsor the event or simply bring your family out to enjoy the Heritage Hub, you’re helping us strengthen our community while celebrating this important milestone in our nation’s history.”

Businesses and organizations still have time to get involved. Sponsorship opportunities and vendor booths remain available, giving companies a chance to showcase their products and services while supporting a regional cause. Sponsorship levels range from major corporate partnerships to rest stop sponsorships, while vendor spaces are available in multiple sizes.

Community participation will be key to making the inaugural event a success. Kelley said “United Way really wants this to become a signature event for Greene County and the Miami Valley because it’s an opportunity to bring people together, celebrate our shared heritage and invest in programs that improve lives throughout our region.”

All proceeds from the Americana 250 Cycling Classic will benefit programs and services of the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, supporting initiatives focused on youth opportunity, financial security, health and community resiliency throughout Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties.

Event organizers say they hope the day will bring together cyclists, families, local businesses and history enthusiasts alike for a celebration that honors the past while investing in the future. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia. Registration, sponsorship information and vendor applications are now available. For more information, visit https://www.dayton-unitedway.org/americana-250-cycling-classic.

Sponsors include The Dayton Foundation, Trek Dayton, CareSource, Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau, GLD Communications, Warriors On Wheels, Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. Media requests should be directed to GLD Communications, the official public relations agency for the event.

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Back to the Keys: Xenia Library Events Celebrate the Enduring Legacy of the Typewriter

In Books, Business, Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Education, history, Technology, Uncategorized on May 26, 2026 at 11:00 am

The Greene County Public Library and GLD Communications are teaming up to celebrate National Typewriter Day with two public events later this month at the Xenia Community Library, combining history, writing, and hands-on experiences centered around one of the most influential communication tools ever created.

The first event, “Typewriters in the 21st Century,” will take place Tuesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the library. The presentation will be led by award-winning journalist, author, and typewriter enthusiast Gery Deer of Jamestown-based GLD Communications. According to event organizers, the program will explore the continuing relevance of typewriters in a modern digital world and examine their role in shaping communication, journalism, business, and creative writing.

A second event, a public “Type-In,” is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m., giving participants the opportunity to bring their own typewriters or try a variety of machines supplied by collectors and enthusiasts. Organizers say the event is designed to create a relaxed, social atmosphere where visitors can experience writing in a slower, more tactile way while learning about the machines and the culture surrounding them.

Melissa Fasanella, Head Librarian at the Xenia Community Library, believes the “analog lifestyle” has really made a comeback in 2026. “This year our Library started a puzzle exchange, by customer request, that’s been popular for those who want to take a puzzle home or to give new opportunities to others to assemble puzzles they have already put together at home and want to give to us for reuse,” she said.  

SEE THE VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE

“We’ve also seen several items that we loan out such as pickleball kits, telescopes, birdwatching kits, etc. circulate well this year so far as individuals and families are rediscovering more ‘unplugged’ hobbies.”

Deer added that the programs are intended to be about more than nostalgia. “With these events, we’re celebrating, not the machine so much, as what it represented and its relevance in the 21st Century,” he said. “The typewriter provided women with an opportunity to join the professional office workplace; it enabled the mass production of important legal documents and correspondence, and much more.”

“The typewriter was the forerunner of most of our modern communication equipment,” Deer said. “We still use the same QWERTY keyboard invented for the first typewriters on virtually every communications device.” He added that many people are rediscovering typewriters as a way to slow down and reconnect with focused creativity.

“And for the writer and general public alike, they’re getting a chance to disconnect and unplug from the digital noise that invades every part of our lives,” Deer said. Also participating in the type-in event will be TB Writers Plus, the only typewriter sales and service company in the region, run by Trevor Brumfield and Becca Brumfield. The business will have some typewriters on hand for attendees to try out, along with information on how to buy one.

National Typewriter Day is observed annually to recognize the invention and cultural impact of the typewriter, a technology widely credited with revolutionizing business communication, journalism, publishing, and office work throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. While largely replaced by computers decades ago, typewriters have experienced a resurgence among writers, artists, students, and collectors who appreciate their mechanical simplicity and distraction-free writing experience.

The June 23 presentation is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged through the library’s online event calendar. Organizers said the June 27 Type-In will also be open to the public and welcoming to both longtime enthusiasts and people who have never used a typewriter before.

Typewriters in the 21st Century Free Registration: https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69cac953491b809c6f23e6e0

National Typewriter Day Celebration Type-In Free Registration: https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/69cfa70366c3387a9d05ae9b

Additional information and registration details are available through the Greene County Public Library website, www.greenelibrary.info, and the library’s online events calendar.