These local residents had key roles at the White House. Now they’ll share their stories.

Sometimes it seems as though Washington D.C. is a world apart from us.

We send our eighth-graders to Washington D.C. so that they can see for themselves that it is real. They tour the inside of the Supreme Court, the Capital, and if they are lucky in their scheduling, they can get into the White House.

The president’s residence and office is the smallest of the three buildings and the hardest tour ticket to get.

MORE POPULAR STORIES

This key Clark County economic measure is at its best level since 2000

Springfield Summer Arts Festival to bring in new acts, old favorites

The White House is the most personal, in my opinion. It is pretty cool to think that just up those roped off stairways the president, the leader of the free world, actually does the things all of us do: Eating, sleeping, watching some TV and having some private family time. On the first floor, I couldn’t help but wonder what was being discussed in those West Wing offices behind the locked doors.

How fascinating it would be to peek into those offices to see how the day by day work takes place in the White House.

The Enon Community Historical Society is going to make that possible for us this Sunday, when it hosts its latest Rocking Chair Story Series.

Two former Enon residents will be interviewed and tell of their times working in the White House.

Rear Admiral Deborah Loewer, who is retired from the United States Navy, is from the Enon area. Loewer was the first woman to qualify as a Surface Warfare Officer and spent much of her career at sea. She was a Navy captain and director of the White House Situation Room in 2001. She was also traveling with President Bush on Sept. 11, 2001. Loewer is now retired and will share her experiences.

I first met Brad Boyer at Knob Prairie Church when he was a student at Greenon. He graduated in 2002. I remember us all being thrilled when Brad made a quick transition from attending classes at Bowling Green State University to working at the White House in the early 2000s.

He worked in the White House Advance Office and was involved with “large-scale press operations to help maximize national and local media coverage” of the president. He later returned to Clark County and is now the Deputy Director of National Trail Parks and Recreation District.

This edition of the Rocking Chair Stories will be hosted, as usual, by New Carlisle resident Daryl Bauer, whose voice you might recognize from his days on WIZE and WHIO. Bauer will lead the discussion and ask questions.

The stories begin at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Mike Barry Research Center, 45 Indian Dr. in Enon. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.

As we all know, the best hometown stories used to be shared while folks sat in rocking chairs around the pot-bellied stove. With this event, the tradition continues … without the stove, however.

About the Author