Jim Hale has been a vital resource for Grove City since 1968.
“It’s an excellent place for family life and entertainment. Grove City has been my community of choice. Though not a native, I consider Grove City my hometown,” he says.
As the former executive director of Visit Grove City, then the Grove City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as former editor of the Grove City Record, Hale has certainly earned the right to call the city his hometown.
Hale was the brains behind Visit Grove City’s slogan, “Grove City: Where people visiting Columbus stay,” which encapsulates the community’s warmth and charm.
Born in Lebanon, Virginia, Hale’s service in the U.S. Air Force led him to Grove City. It was then that he unleashed his passion for covering history, and he became an editor of The Skyhawk newspaper and non-commissioned officer in charge of releasing news stories and photographs of Ohio men and women serving in Vietnam.
The rest is history.
During his time here, Hale’s career, which spans a quarter of a century, has always revolved around historical writing. Aside from the Grove City Record, he was an editor for the Pike County News Watchman in Waverly and general manager of the Columbus Messenger.
“Just become involved in something you enjoy that benefits the community. There are so many opportunities in Grove City to be of service. The reward is great when you expect nothing in return. I wouldn’t trade any part of my life here for anything. Grove City has been very good to me and my family.”
He was highly involved in the creation of the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum, which opened in the historic Town Center in 2010 and houses an eclectic collection of historical artifacts and information about the city.
Hale was instrumental in the museum’s planning sessions and was responsible for creating the exhibits and greeting visitors.
As much as he has loved Grove City, it has loved him right back. Hale has been granted a lifelong membership to the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society.
“My greatest reward has been my ability to continue writing – this time strictly history,” Hale says. “I enjoy the research and being a published author. I spend considerable time collecting historical stories, but my most rewarding effort has been responsibility for most of the text for the Society’s web page.”
In addition, Hale is now retired, but writes history-based stories remotely for The Lebanon News, one of the many weekly newspapers in Virginia that his family once owned.
Aside from history, family is another top priority for Hale. He and his wife of 43 years, Linda, have three successful adult daughters.
Linda was a teacher at South- Western City Schools while Hale worked behind the scenes on numerous levy campaigns and helped her create an outdoor science learning center at J.C. Sommer Elementary School.
“Being the husband of an educator also meant you had to help at times with other school projects,” Hale says. “While with the newspapers, I made sure the schools were always represented well in print.”
Hale finds history to be one area where he can best be of service to others. He says he believes it is through finding that selfless sweet spot that one’s true passions and full potential can be unveiled.
“Just become involved in something you enjoy that benefits the community,” he says. “There are so many opportunities in Grove City to be of service. The reward is great when you expect nothing in return. I wouldn’t trade any part of my life here for anything. Grove City has been very good to me and my family.”
Caitlyn Blair is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
