A recent Cincinnati Enquirer article reports that College Hill residents are increasingly optimistic about the future of their community. It goes on to express the hope that this may be a sign of better things to come for the city as a whole. College Hill, the article points out, is almost exactly representative of the city, both demographically and in terms of recent election results.

College Hill citizens are reported to be working together, taking responsibility for solving community problems, and are looking for similar leadership from their elected city officials. The implication seems to be that if College Hill can do it, so can the city.

Second Annual College Hill Rhythm Race 5K Run/Walk Friday, September 16

Time to lace on those running shoes or walking shoes and join hundreds of your friends and neighbors who will make the 2005 version of College Hill Rhythm Race another runaway success! Last year’s Rhythm Race 5K Run/Walk was our community’s biggest event–and this year’s race promises to be even bigger and even better! All proceeds go to benefit College Hill Redevelopment initiatives. The race starts at 7:00 PM. A kids Fun Run and Celebration Party starts after the race.

Register now to be a runner or walker in the 2005 Rhythm Race–it’s a great way to spend a beautiful fall Friday evening with family or friends. Whether you run for fun or run to win–whether you plan to power walk or push a stroller or walk with the dog or stroll with the neighbors–the Rhythm Race is for everyone! If you pre-register, it's just $15 for race entry and for the after-race Celebration Party, and you’re guaranteed a Rhythm Race T-shirt.

To get a registration form to mail in, click here. To enroll online, find the Rhythm Race on our race coordinator's web site. If you like paper, stop by the College Hill Coffee Co. shop at Hamilton and North Bend or at any of the Bob Roncker Running Spot running stores and pick up a registration form.

If you just plain like being a person who lives “in the moment,” you can register on Race Day, Friday September 16 at 6 p.m. at Hamilton and North Bend in the old Shullers Wigwam lot, but it’s $20 on the day of the race, and we can’t guarantee there will be T-shirts available in your size!

If you're not racing, tickets for the Kids’ Fun Run and the Celebration Party after the race are $10 for adults 17 and over, $5 for kids 3-16 Children 2 and under are free.

The members of First United Church of Christ on Glenview Avenue are celebrating their first 150 years of ministry.

To help celebrate this occasion, everyone is invited to attend a free outdoor concert on the church's back lawn on Saturday, August 27 at 4:30 PM. The performing group will be headed up by the church's organist who also happens to play with a rock-n-roll band on weekends. Her group performs popular music mainly of a soft-rock sound, i.e. Beatles, Clapton and James Taylor. Food and refreshments will be available.

September 25 marks the actual anniversary of the church's 150th year as a congregation. A special service of worship starts at 10:15 AM with the president of Ohio Conference of the UCC, Jack Seville, delivering the message. This will be followed by an afternoon concert at 2:30 PM. Both celebrations that day will include former choir members, musicians and directors, several of whom are CCM graduates. Returnees will include John Wasiniak, who has been on Broadway for the past four years in the production of "Phantom of the Opera." Again, the public is invited to join the congregation in these celebrations.

For more information, contact First UCC at 513-541-7302, ext. 10.

You can expect our streets to be fuller than usual of children in the coming weeks, so this is a time to keep an even keener eye out for them. On Tuesday,August 23, most of our community's schools open to students. You'll see newly-uniformed students pouring onto the Aiken Campus, going to the Aiken Public Service Learning HS, the Aiken Traditional HS, the Aiken University HS and the Jacobs Paideia HS. You'll also see increased traffic of all kinds pouring into the Pleasant Hill Academy, the College Hill Fundamental Academy and St Clare School. The next day, on Wednesday, August 24, McAuley HS students begin classes, and a week later, on Tuesday, August 30, Eden Grove Academy classes start.

We are looking for crafters to join us Saturday, October 8 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the 2005 Pumpkin Patch Festival. The cost is $30 which includes an eight foot table and two chairs. If you are interested, please contact Gayla Price at 513- 733-8837(w), or 513-769-3517 (h) or gayla.price@pnc.com. Registration forms are also available at Hartman and Ehrmantraut CPAs, 5850 Hamilton Avenue.

Come and visit Llanfair Retirement Community for refreshments and an "Easing the Move" seminar for retired seniors over the age of 55. This seminar will provide expert tip on selling, downsizing and moving. The program begins at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, August 23. There will be very helpful and useful tips and guidelines on moving and downsizing from a larger home to a smaller home or apartment. A tour of the Llanfair facility will be available. Please let Kathy Murphy know you're coming at 513-681-4230.

The Cincinnati Recreation Commission's Athletic Division will be accepting registrations for their 2005 Fall Classic Volleyball tournament to be held Sunday, August 28. This is offered for adult 6-person co-rec teams who would like to compete at the "BB" or "B" level. The tournament begins at 9:00 AM at College Hill Recreation Center on Belmont Ave. Cost is $120 per team. Call 513-352-4020.

Two College Hill Presbyterian Church singers dared to act on their desire to be part of this summer’s Margaret Garner Opera. They overcame their fear, auditioned and were chosen over many others to be part of the chorus.

Luisa Dickey (top) and Chris Miller (bottom) were both astonished at the incredible talent present, and thrilled to be a part of the whole experience of launching a new opera. During performances, they were gripped by the story of Margaret Garner and her family as they suffered in slavery, escaped and were recaptured.

College Hill resident Colleen Laux is one of four co- founders of the Women's Development Initiative, whose purpose is to create a way for women to network that doesn't involve golf. The group targets female business owners and women interested in starting their own businesses.