SIDNEY — The director of the Shelby County Historical Society was recently asked to be the next Region 7 representative for the Ohio Local History Alliance (OLHA).

Matilda Phlipot was asked to be the representative by Natalie Fritz, curator of Clark County’s Library and Archives, who was reaching the end of her second term in that position. Members of OHLA explained in their Region 1 and 7 meeting on April 17 that Phlipot was a good selection because of her track record of bringing history alive at the Shelby County Historical Society and its commitment to community involvement as well as receipt of 23 awards at the state level. At the end of the meeting, she was voted in by other members of Region 7 which is comprised of Auglaize, Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties.

For the first time in a while Region 7 found itself in a predicament where they need to replace both of the OLHA Region 7 representatives at the same time. Past representative Melissa Shaw of the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton transferred to the vice president position for OLHA and was also replaced at the April 17 meeting. Dante Centuori, executive director of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, will be stepping forward as the other Region 7 representative alongside Shelby County’s own, Tilda Phlipot.

As part of the position of Region 7 representative, Phlipot will be chosen to serve on one of the following committees: Advocacy, Education, Outreach or Governance. She will also take part in the planning of Ohio’s festivities for the United States of America’s 250th birthday celebration. Her term will begin on June 28, 2021, and she will attend quarterly meetings for the next two years.