RURAL ACTION
Annual Report
2022
ABOUT RURAL ACTION
Nestled in the foothills of Appalachian Ohio, Rural Action was founded in 1991 on the principle that locally-based, sustainable, and inclusive development is the main strategy for building resilient rural Appalachian communities.
Rural Action’s mission is to build a more just economy by developing the region’s assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways. Together, we envision a region with clean streams and healthy forests; a place where thriving family farms, meaningful livelihoods and vibrant communities exist for everyone; with people engaged as good stewards of the world they live in and working together to make this vision a reality.
As a membership-based organization, we believe the best development is done with participation from diverse groups who have a stake in the outcome. Our role is to empower communities to value and take ownership of our environment, economy, and community, so we can meet the needs of the current generation while also building a just and sustainable future.
Rural Action continues to expand because there is great demand for smart, local solutions to global and regional problems. Our reach is made possible through a robust national service program, administered by Rural Action in partnership with more than a dozen Ohio organizations.
letter from leadership
Dear friends,
We hope you enjoy this report on Rural Action’s work in 2022. The work we’re engaged in together is having a positive impact in our region, and we are so pleased to be able to share some of these successes with you in our annual report.
This work is only possible due to the passion and hard work of lots of people — our members, our partners, and the communities we work with. That’s not just a polite nod to the concept of partnership — we mean it with all our hearts. The projects you’ll read about in this annual report absolutely rely on strong relationships and real collaboration. We are so grateful to be able to work in a region that understands that — a region where people care more about solving problems than about who gets credit for it.
If you want to hear real stories about people making a difference, grab a cup of tea and settle in for some inspiration. People are working together to make a difference through projects as varied as historic preservation in McArthur to our work with Fellows from Zimbabwe and Tanzania. And if you want a quick glance at some statistics, you will find that too.
We are living in complex times. The challenges that are already present due to climate change, and the slow and bumpy recovery from a global pandemic impacts the work we do every day. There are big opportunities to support our communities and our region and to scale up the innovations that have been nurtured by caring people here at home. We can make a difference, in ways large and small, and we do it best when we work together.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about what we — all of us, including you — have accomplished together as part of Rural Action. Thank you for caring enough to be involved in creating solutions. We’re grateful.
read our annual report stories
Making quality food accessible in Appalachia
For the fourth year in a row, Rural Action helped provide thousands of produce prescriptions to Mid-Ohio Valley families to make healthy food — and healthy living — more accessible.
Mineland reclamation revives historic hotel
Thanks to collaboration between Rural Action and many partners, Vinton County’s sole and historic hotel will once again be in operation at the heart of its county seat.
From Africa to Appalachia
Local problems require global solutions. Nobody realizes this better than Darlington Mafa, of Zimbabwe, and Felician Ezekiel, of Tanzania, whom Rural Action hosted as Community Solutions Fellows last year.
Thrift store promotes community, waste diversion
The intentional flow of materials and mission behind UpCycle Ohio aligns with Rural Action’s long standing commitment to zero waste and the work the organization was already doing through initiatives such as the Zero Waste Pledge, zero waste event support, and hard-to-recycle collections — all through the Zero Waste Program, also located at the 751 W. Union St. location. UpCycle fit perfectly into the collaborations Zero Waste has been building upon for years.
18,353 INDIVIDUALS
reached through CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials) events and other recycling events that diverted
223,846 POUNDS OF MATERIAL
from the waste stream through the Zero Waste Program
133,465 ACRES
of high quality wetland and stream restoration project sites identified in the Maumee River Watershed
45 HELLBENDER NEST BOXES
installed at three sites in the Walhonding Watershed
56 TOURS
provided by Appalachian Understories and
58 GUIDES AND INTERPRETERS
paid for sharing their skills and knowledge with the community
STATS FROM 2022
2,065 POUNDS OF LOCAL PRODUCE
donated through the Tuscarawas Donation Station and distributed to individuals and organizations
18 SITE VISITS
across 1,119 acres in nine counties and two states by the Sustainable Forestry team to assist landowners in nontimber forest product cultivation and sustainable land management
450,000 DOLLARS
distributed to local farmers through the Chesterhill Produce Auction sales, produce purchasing for Buying Club, produce prescriptions, and produce distribution
members and donors
Members are central and essential to the work of Rural Action, and we count on them for their leadership, advocacy, volunteerism, and financial support. The following individuals and organizations helped to sustain the organization in 2022 and allow us to plan for the future. Learn more about membership by visiting our website at www.ruralaction.org/join
Aaron Burk and Jane Balbo
Aaron Dye
Aaron J. Hershberger
Abdul Salam Jahanfo Abdulai
Abigail Haffelt
Abigail Rainey
Adam Kody
Adriane and Martin Mohlenkamp
Aimee and Rob Delach
Alan and Ruth Palo
Alan and Terry Swank
Alan Geiger
Albert Rouzie
Alden Gilliom
Aleena Robinson
Alex Thornhill
Alexandria Polanosky
Alexis Mikanik
Alicia McConeghey
Alison McCoy
Allan & Candi Withem
Allen and Corrine White
Allison Ricket
Allison Shaw
Allyn and Marsha Reilly
Alyssa Reinagle
Amy and Bob Grove
Amy Lipka
Amy Lloyd
Ana Rosado and Christopher Feger
Anan Almomani
Andi Chatfield
Andrew Snyder
Angela & Mike Brown
Angela Hammond
Anita James
Ann Brown and Kenneth Holroyd
Ann Furste
Ann Moneypenny and Michael Kleinman
Anna Crabtree
Anna Haught
Anne Sparks
April Nichols
Arianna Rinaldi-Eichenberg
Ariel Chamberlain
Ashley Grace
Athens Conservancy
Athens Garden Club
Aubrei Krummert and Julio Arauz
Autumn Alexander
Bagel Street Deli
Barbara Flowers
Barbara Harrison and Pat Gordon
Barbara Valente
Barry and Kate Oches
Barry and Linda Badertscher
Becca Vidmar
Belle Everett
Berry Dilley
Beth Ferrier
Betty Hollow
Betty Lowe
Bev Flanigan
Billie Kariher
Blue Eagle Music
Blue Rock Station LLC
Bob Eichenberg
Bobbi Conliffe
Bonnie Prince
Brad Metzler
Brandis Bickley
Brandy Niederhuber
Breanna Jarvis
Brenda Metcalf
Brenda Nelson
Brenen's Coffee Cafe
Brent and Sara Hartman
Brian and Kirsten Ritchie
Brice Frasure
Bruce and Hylie Voss
Bryan Fortson
Bryan Hinkle
Bryn Sowash
Buehler's Fresh Foods - Dover
Burr Beard
Burr Oak Lodge
Caitlin Garrity and Sarah Maj
Cara Sheets
Carleen Yocum
Carol and Bruce Kuhre
Carol Beale
Carol Lyons
Carol Polanosky
Carole and Joe Schloss
Caroline Perruci
Carolyn Allen
Carolyn and Chip Ditchendorf
Carrie Lockhart
Casa Nueva
Casey Slive
Cassidy Arbuthnot
Catherine and Benjamin Lachman
Catherine Galla
Catherine Hare
Cecelia Weldon
Chad and Jessica Kinney
Char and John Kopchick
Charis Murray
Charles and Alice Ross
Charles Hambel and Katrina Schultes
Charles Warnimont
Charlie Adkins
Chase Hostetler
Cheri Porter
Cheryl Cesta
Chloe Bailey
Chris Bogzevitz
Chris Chmiel and Michelle Gorman
Chris McGinnis
Chris Ratcliff
Christa Myers
Christa Salm
Christian Morgan
Christine Kirby
Christine Knisely and David McCoy
Christine Miles
Christopher Donohue
Christy and Scott Nisley
Christy Pugh
Ciara Jones
Ciara Martin
Cindy and Jeff Stewart
Cindy Whited
Cita Strauss
Claire Klodell
Claire Ramsey
Clarissa Hitchon
Claudia Hale
Colleen Morgan
Connie Brown
Constance Gabbard and Milton Greek
Corinne Carper
Corrine M Brown and Barbara Berry
Cort and Kelly Forgrave
Courtney Curtner
Courtney Lefebvre
Craig McCarthy and Holly Raffle
Crissa Cummings
Cycle Path
Cynthia and Paul Freedman
Cynthia and Ron Birt
Dale and Lori Arnold
Dallas Taylor
Dan and Marilyn Lipka
Dana Norris
Dana Wiseman
Danette Carr
Danielle Bernstein
Danny Moates
Darlene Sue Leonhart
Dave Schaffer
Dave Shively
David and Dorthy Pritchard
David and Elaine Dabelko
David and Jeanne Heaton
David and Karin Bright
David and Pamela Schatz
David B Walker
David Descutner and DeLysa Burnier
David Keller
David Lowe
David Persinger
David Singer
David Tees and Melanie Schori
Debbie and Allen Clark
Debbie and Greg Robertson
Debbie and John Schmieding
Debbie Phillips
Deborah Daniels
Deborah Kerwood
Deborah Wagoner
Debra McBride
Delia Palmisano
Dena Sico
Denise Allen
Denise Peters
Dennis Clement
Devra Roberts
Diane McVey and Craig Johnson
Diane Tremper
Dianne Bouvier
Dominic Straquadine
Don and Maryalice Turner
Don Flournoy
Doug Albaugh
Doug and Jen Miller
Doug Brooks
Douglass Green
Dr. Neil E. Richard and Dr. Valorie J. Miille
Duncan Hadley
Dyana Robenalt
EarthShare
Eclipse Company Store
Ed Newman and Martha Bishop
Eddie and Emily Smith
Edward Kruse
Elaine and Douglas Goetz
Eleanor Reagan
Eli and Jill Flournoy
Elisa Levy
Elizabeth Clodfelter
Elizabeth Knies
Elizabeth Sayrs
Elizabeth Strassman
Elle Dickerman
Ellen Gerl and James Schulz
Ellie Dale
Ellie Koewler
Ellie Shanklin
Elma Snyder
Emily Bentley
Emily Feist
Emily Fouts
Emily Walter
Emma Bycofski
Emma Stefanick
Eric Kimble
Erick Siders
Erik Hagerman
Erin and Curt Sykes
Erin Moir
Erin Perko
Eve Kelley
Factory Street Studio
Faith Knutsen
Francis Sullivan
Frans Doppen and Loraine McCosker
Fred Silvia
Fred Snell
Frederick and Teresa Hindman
Gabriel Riggle
Garth Coombs, Jr. and Amy Coombs
Gary Goosman and Mary Ann Westendorf
Gary Oyler
Geoff and Kirsten Dabelko
Geoffrey and Michelle Greenfield
George Wood and Marcia Marie Burchby
Georgia Barnhart
Gerard Hilferty and Jacquelyn Fokes
Gillian and David Berchowitz
Gloria Teicher
Grace Connolly
Gregory Howard
Gregory Kessler and Melissa Wales
Haley Johnson
Hana Duncan
Hannah Bernstein
Hannah Hartman
Hannah Kopp
Hannah Kresse
Harmony Dotson
Harold Perkins and Katherine Able-Perkins
Harry Baker, Jr.
Hazel Escobedo
Heather and Philip Cantino
Heather Jobson
Heidi Wilhelm
Heike M Perko
Herman Hill
Hocking Hills Inn & Coffee Emporium
Holes in the Wall Collective
Homer Elliot and Robin Barnes
Howard Peller and Maddie Fraioli
Hunter Simmons
J A M Mostahidul Alam
Jack Everett
Jacob Richard
Jacqueline Warmke
Jake McCarthy
James and Marilyn Meek
James Bates
James Bevins
James Lloyd
Jamie Noon
Jane Jacobs
Jane Z. Woodrow
Janessa Stigler
Janet Holladay
Janet Landon
Jared Lape
Jarvis Huck
Jason Pyles
Jay Bird and Shannon Stewart
Jay Bird and Shannon Stewart
Jaymie Strecker
Jeffrey Baker
Jen and David Simon
Jenna Balazs
Jennifer A Holmes
Jennifer Foehl
Jenny Byers
Jeremy and Jen Bowman
Jeremy Held
Jess Fritz
Jessica Jasso
Jessica Miller
Jessie Bennett
Jessie Dickson
Jessie Powers
Jesus and Julia Pagan
Jim and Josie Stricklin
Jim Hart
Jo and Michael Carpenter
Joanna Sokol
Joanne Limbach
Joe Barbaree
Joe Brehm
Joe Hershberger
Joel Laufman
Joey Berry
Johanna and Dan Vorisek
John and Janis Tysko
John and Kelli Kotowski
John and Mandy Haseley
John and Suzanne Howell
John Cotton
John Gilliom and Amy King
John H Taylor
John Hauser and Linda Parsons
John Hoopingarner
John J. Hershberger
John Latschar
John Peters
John Steen
John Stelzer
Johna Metcalf
Johnson Charitable Gift Fund
Jolinda and Gregory Foley
Jon Sowash and Kassandra Watts
Joseph Herrington and Anna Auteri
Joseph Moosbrugger
Josh Beatty
Josh Ervin
Judith Daso
Judith Svendsen
Julia Sullivan
Julian Narvaez-Wiener
Julie Finlay
Justin Kale
Karam Sheban
Karen and Ken Cunningham
Karen Chatfield
Karen Hayes
Karsen Bailey
Karyn Allman
Karyn Kaplan
Kate Montgomery
Katherine Jellison and David Winkelmann
Kathleen and Curtis Smith
Kathryn and Chris Cooper
Kathryn Ortt
Kathy Berry and Chip Kreig
Kathy Bick
Katie Kelly
Katie Mosher
Katy Kropf and Nick Tepe
Katy Pretorius
Kay Tousley and William Owens
Kecia Stewart-slob
Keith Macartney
Keith Rodgers
Keith Wilde
Kelly Capuzzi
Kelly Capuzzi
Kelly Miller
Kelly Morman
Kelsey Daniels
Kelsey Siekkinen
Kelsey Starr
Ken and Deborah Edwards
Kenneth Turner
Kevin And Kay Nichols
Kevin Buettner
Kevin King
Kim Nagle
Kimberly Hale
Kindred Market
Kristen and William Kiser
Kristen Combs
Kristin Kinnard and Matt Vermillion
Kristin Lowe
Kristina Borovicka Gerig and Chris Gerig
Kurt Shelley
Kyle Driscoll
Lance Stephens
LaRanda Piatt
Larry Ogg
Larry's Dawg House
Laura and Adam Saltman
Laura and Calvin Miller
Laura Ayala
Laura Bennett
Laura Elder
Laura Olbers
Laura Stewart
Laura Weeks
Lauren Dikis
Lauren Miller
Laurie and Kate Vancouver
Layla Walter
Lenny and Lisa Eliason
Leona Cibrowski
Lesley and Scott Moore
Leslie and Jack Flemming
Leslie Dunn
Leslie Dybiec
Lillie Kearns
Linda and Kenneth Button
Linda and Pete Clark
Lindsey Rist
Linn Forhan and Patricia O'Brien
Lisa and Scott Carson
Lisa Villamil
Lisa Youngstrom
Little Fish Brewing Company
Little Professor Book Center
Liz Myers
Lori Gromen and Kent Butler
Lou Driever
Lowell Ben Howard
Luann Cooperrider
Luther and Jeanne Haseley
Lynda Berman
Lynette Peck
Lynn and Tom Lovdal
Lynn Miller
Maddie Fraioli
Maddie Snyder
Madison McWilliams
Marcus Molea
Margy Kramer and Peter Woyar
Maria Kline
Maria Mary Mugeni
Maribeth Saleem-Tanner
Marilyn Sue Foster and Don Shamblin
Marissa and Nick Lautzenheiser
Mark and Marcia Shubert
Mark and Rita Snider
Mark Bradford
Mark M McKenzie
Mark McManus
Mark Sunderman
Marlene and Gregory Greene
Martina Mann
Marty Zinn
Mary Ann Borch and Bob Kerber
Mary Anne Reeves
Mary Costello
Mary Jane Kelley
Mary Jo Bole
Mary Lou Wycinski
Mary Nally
Mary Rust
Maryann and Norman Garber
Mat Roberts and Meredith Hamsher
Matt Cutlip
Matt Ledford
Matt Majkszak
Matt McCready
Matthew and Beth Graff
Matthew Irish
Maureen Coon
Mckenzie Longwell
McLane Nagy
Megan Westervelt and Josue Arteaga
Meghan Ellis
Melissa Beatty
Melissa Lewis
Melissa Raber
Melisse Aspery
Melody Linscott
Merl and Mim Almquist
Mia Miller
Micah Covert
Micah McCarey
Michael Adams & Julie Gee
Michael J Hart
Michael Krutsinger
Michael Kubisek
Michael Lloyd
Michael Pistrui
Michele Papai and David Drabold
Michelle Shively MacIver
Michelle Stobart
Michelle Wilson
Mik Schuyler
Mike and Amy Nicolai
Mike and Jan Steinmaus
Mike Lorz
Miranda Hilt
Miriam Hart
Mitch and Sue Farley
Molly Jo Stanley
Molly Souhrada
Molly Sowash
Molly Yeager
Morgan Hager
Morgan Thomas
Morgan Vischiasson
Mosha Trout
Moss Nash
Mryia Williams
Myra Moss
Nancy Manring
Nancy Pierce
Natalie Johnson
Neill and Karoline Lane
Nicholas Pilewski
Nick and Tammy Bobo
Nick Finoccioli and Lara Neal
Nigel Daniels and Natalie Kruse Daniels
Nikki Ransom
Olivia LoGuidice
Owen Buckley
Oxbow River and Stream Restoration
Pam Harvey
Pam Holman
Pat Cadle
Patricia Drerup
Patrick O'Conner and Nancy Stevens
Patty Mitchell
Paul E. and Catherine Knoop
Paul Mass and Kate Fetterolf
Paul Patton
Paul Reed
Paul Tescher and June Holley
Paula Lockard
Perry Varnadoe
Peter and Laurie Lowe
Peter Wuscher
Petra Schmalbrock
Phil La Susa
Phyllis Baxter
Pieta Steffens
PJ Harshberger
Preston Prather
Ransom Family Fund
Rebecca Acheson
Rebecca LaSor-Martin
Rebecca Lyon
Rebecca Vazquez and Mark Skillings
Rebekah Marquart
Renee Steffen
Rev. James and Carol Waugh
Rex Millhone
Rhonda Hulett
Ric Wasserman
Rich Greenlee
Rick Fligor and Kathy Weckbacher
Rita and Denis Case
Robert and Arlene Sheak
Robert and Polly Sumney
Robert Benz
Robert Beyfuss
Robert Frank and Allie Sandow
Robert Henninge and Rebecca Dale
Robert Scott Placier
Robert Stewart and Penny Shelton
Robert Tinnell
Robert Weiser and Kristen Berry
Robin Bozian
Robin Wilson
Robyn Wright-Strauss
Rod and Linda Sauer
Rodney and Linda Nippert
Rose Colton and Bill Sartori
Rose Marie Isgrigg
Rosemarie Hirning
Rowan Fahl Matlack
Rowan Knutsen
Rudi Beutner
Russell and Liz Chamberlain
Ruth Elizabeth Werlwas
Ryan and Kerry Pigman
Ryan Fogt
Ryan Johnson and Andrew Pueschel
Ryan Smith
Sabrina Garrett
Sallie Anne Roberts and Robert Lazuka
Sally and Don Linder
Sally and Stan Zalek
Sam Bikowski
Sam Crowl and Terry Kelleher
Sam Miller
Samantha Rommel and Brian Vadakin
Samantha Sinn
Sandra and David Cobb
Sandra Conley
Sandy Guinto
Sara Gilfert
Sarah Benton
Sarah Drerup
Sarah Fisher
Sarah Grace
Sarah Haney
Sarah Milligan
Sarah Smith
Scott and Maria Janda
Scott Kester and Donna Goodman
Shane Benton
Shannon Pratt-Harrington
Shannon Rine
Shannon Wells
Sharon Morel
Shawna Wolfe
Shayne Lopez
Sheila and Randall VanDyke
Sheila Shafer
Shirley Tipple
Simon Abeid
Sophia Barry
Sophia Sorboro
Sophie Relitz
Spices of Life
Stacia Stutzman
Stacy Hall and Bill Dix, III
Stephanie and Benjamin Randolph
Stephanie Hunter
Stephen Abdella
Stephen and Rhonda Reilly
Stephen Fopeano
Stephen Lowe
Stephen Ragg
Stephen Scanlan
Steve and Connie Patterson
Sue and Alan Boyd
Susan and Jeff McNish
Susan Hadley and Bradley Sowash
Susan Itterly
Susan Loughridge
Susan McGarvey
Susan Wolpert
Susi Acord
Susie Shaw
Suzanne Knauerhase and William Rhinehart
Svenn Lindskold
T.P. and Carol Sauber
Tanja Kuhre
Tanya Hire
Tara Gilts
Tatum L'Heureux
Taylor Major-Dame
Taylor Weaver
Ted and Cynthia King
Ted Bernard and Donna Lofgren
Teny Bannick
Terry and Sue Van Offeren
Tessa Haffner
The Pigskin Bar and Grille
Theodora Lee Gregg
Theresa Haskew
Theresa Martin
Thomas Smucker
Thomas Stump
Thomas Wolf
Tim and Diane Pfaff
Tim Peacock
Timken Family, LLC
Timothy and Susan Held
Tina Trettin
Tom and Corrine Callaghan
Tom and Sue Banchich
Tom Calhoun
Tom O'Grady
Tom Redfern and Jane Forrest Redfern
Tom Reid
Tony Logan and Mary Duffey
Tracy Farmer
Travis and Carma West
Trevor Rhodes
Trina Thornton
Tyler and Maria Bonner
Tyler Thenikl
United Way of Central Ohio
Ura J. and Aaron N. Hershberger
Vernon and Jennifer Jewett
Vicki Irr
Victoria Mattson
Village Bakery & Cafe
Vincent Paumier
VIRGINIA BARTTER
Wanda and Mark Weinberg
Warren Haydon
Warren L. and Millie Fussner
Wayne Lloyd
Wenda Sheard and Richard Thieret
Wendy Bullock
Wesley Bittner
Wesly Hall
White's Mill
Whit's Frozen Custard
Wilbur (Kira) Schmidt
William and Barbara Schlater
Ximeng Sun
Yi-Ting Wang
Zachary Reizes
Zack Space
ZOD Jackie O's Pub & Brewery