The Distinguished Alumni and Honorary Trojan Hall of Fame was established to honor those individuals who have made a significant impact through achievement, actions, and contributions within their communities and professions and serve as exemplary role models for Arcanum students. It seems that the pandemic in 2020 has taken over our lives and the volunteers that deserve recognition have not been properly publicly announced. Since the Arcanum Alumni Trojan Homecoming was canceled earlier this year, many of the events associated with that gathering have been overlooked. Thus, the volunteers that were to be honored were also overlooked.
The Arcanum Hall of Fame Committee is pleased to recognize the first Distinguished 2020 Alumni Inductee Mr. Phil Garbig. Phil graduated from Arcanum High School in 1970 and attended The Ohio State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in business. He returned to Arcanum where he worked as a realtor before he returned to Columbus to continue his education at Capital University Law School. Following the completion of his law degree, he came back to Arcanum to serve clients in his hometown. While being a lawyer for 35 years, Phil has embraced countless opportunities to give back to his community serving on several boards including the Darke County Foundation (Hope Foundation), Arcanum Public Library, Wayne Hospital, and the Darke County Improvement Cooperation. He has also contributed many volunteer hours and charitable donations for the Athletic Boosters, Arcanum Junior Baseball, and many other events and activities. Phil has retired from practicing law, but is still active serving on the Arcanum Area Community Improvement Corporation and serving as a co-chair for the campaign and building of the new Arcanum-Butler Agricultural Education, Athletic, and Community Center. Phil and wife Karen reside in Arcanum and are proud parents and grandparents of AHS alumni and students. They can often be seen at Arcanum-Butler events supporting their grandchildren and Arcanum student athletes.
The second 2020 Honorary Trojan Inductee is Mr. John Hennemyre. John was a long-time AHS teacher, coach, and athletic director from 1965 to 1992 when he retired. He taught chemistry, physics, health, and physical education during his tenure and coached baseball for 3 years and basketball for 17 years. Coach Hennemyre was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 after compiling over 200 victories and coaching in 3 state tournaments — 1967, 1969, and 1976. During his time as Athletic Director he oversaw the return of football, the athletic boosters, co-founded and helped build the Arcanum community sports park, developed the original sports running track, and transitioned Arcanum into the Cross County Conference where he served as secretary for 13 years. John was a Lions Club member and a volunteer on the Arcanum EMT and Community Rescue during the 1970s and 1980s. John and wife LaVerne reside in Ludlow Falls. Due to COVID-19, the Trojan Alumni Homecoming event that was scheduled for April 18, 2020, was canceled and so, too, was the induction ceremony to honor the new Hall of Fame members. At this time, no date has been set to honor the new inductees.
The year 2021, will soon be arriving and a new group of volunteers will be honored come April.
Check out how to nominate the 2021 class of Hall of Fame members. Criteria for the awards as well as nomination forms are available at the Arcanum Board of Education Office or online at www.arcanum-butler.k12.oh.us/
Additionally, the Arcanum Alumni Advisory Committee has started their annual scholarship fundraising drive. If you are interested in donating to the scholarship fund for AHS 2021 Seniors, please contact me and I will be glad to connect you with a member of the committee.
“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” — Kofi Annan
“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.” — Erma Bombeck
