Vicki Ettenhofer:
CLASS OF 1971
Bryan High SchoolClass of 1971
Bryan, OH
Otterbein CollegeClass of 1975
Westerville, OH
Carlisle Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
Bucyrus, OH
Helena SchoolClass of 1971
Helena, OH
Bucyrus High SchoolClass of 1971
Bucyrus, OH
Vicki's Story
Life
After graduation from Otterbein College, I spent 22-years serving as a Chaplains Assistant in a successful and fulfilling Army career. I lived overseas in Stuttgart & Berlin Germany, South Korea, Camp Zama Japan, and many other stateside assignments. I was at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA during the Cuban resettlement in 1980 as well as Berlin when Der Mauer (The Wall) came down (WOW!). I was the only Chaplain Assistant in the Army selected to work a 3-year ROTC assignment (Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL). In Japan, I experienced the occasional earthquake and climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji where I saw the sunrise from the summit with hundreds of other climbers. In Nov '98, I was officially retired as a Sergeant First Class (E-7) but my memorable "send off" was in August at the Military District of Washington's monthly outdoor ceremony at Ft. Myer, VA with a "pomp and circumstance" parade and retirement ceremony featuring units of The Old Guard. I made wonderful friends and memories everywhere I was assigned and earned a rack full of medals and ribbons to display in a shadowbox.
Upon Army retirement, I settled in north Columbus to be near my parents (both now deceased) and 6 siblings. Despite being an Otterbein alumnus, one can't live in Columbus without being a fan and rooting for the OSU Buckeyes! In my free time, I've enjoyed volksmarching (a German sport of walking marked routes of 6.2 miles or more at your own pace) and being rewarded with mileage/event credits and mementos. I dabble in various forms of crafts - wood, bead, and fabric. Currently, I make fabric pillow wreaths to sell or give away as gifts. I also enjoy researching my family's genealogy while making many exciting historical discoveries and finding new "distant cousins" via the internet. My F Horn Mirafone gets dusted off every now and then when I play/march with the Otterbein alumni band. Recently, a dozen of my Airstream friends and I played with the Cambridge City Band in an evening concert at our fall rally. There will also be opportunities to play in the International Rally band. I've discovered the motto of an Airstream band member is "...Expand for more
never forget to pack your horn!
In my immediate post-Army years I was an Admin assistant / manager in two local churches and I became one of the initial TSA security screeners hired after 9-11 at Port Columbus. Then I worked ten years either in full or part-time status as Administrative Director for The Gathering/Columbus, a local chapter of a national non-profit Christian organization. Some of the speakers at our events included Dr. John Maxwell, Coach Jim Tressel, Coach Lovey Smith, Coach Tony Dungy, Coach Joe Gibbs, Clark Kellogg, MAJ Jeff Struecker from Blackhawk Down, Kim Phuc - the napalmed girl in the Pulitzer winning Viet Nam era photo, Star Parker, Gigi Graham, Immaculee Ilibagiza - a Tutsi survivor of the Rwanda genocide (Left to Tell), Bonnie St. John, 1968 winter Para-Olympian, Ron Hall, author (Same Kind of Different as Me) and Wm. Paul Young (The Shack). I finished my employment there in August 2014 as they were rebranding into a new organization requiring more social media expertise so I've "tried out" being semi-retired. That status is changing to officially retired now that I'm Social Security eligible.
In 2009, I inherited my mom's 1996 Airstream B-class 19' motorhome and joined the WBCCI (Wally Byam Caravan Club, Intl) the Airstream travel club. I have held officer positions in my local Airstream Chapter the past 5 years as well as serving as Swiss Rally Registrar/Treasurer the past two yrs. I also lend my admin skills designing/editing program booklets, etc. for the Region and National rallies. For the past 54 years, my unit has set up and sponsored the Swiss Festival National Rally in Sugarcreek, OH where 120-200 Airstreams travel from California to New York and Florida to Canada, to attend. Our visitors enjoy a great time with tours and shopping throughout the Amish community, professional evening entertainment, doorprizes, flea market, craft show, golf tournament, homemade bean and ham soup cooked over fires in kettles, Amish visitors, and attending Sugarcreek's annual Swiss Festival where you might spy me sitting in Swiss costume and ringing my cowbell on our annual parade float entry!
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