Kettering Holiday at Home Foundation, Inc.

Description

The Holiday At Home celebration began on Labor Day, 1959, under the sponsorship of the Kettering (Ohio) YMCA which held the event to promote a membership drive. It was known then as "Kettering Day." The YMCA board accepted a suggestion from President Robert Eichenlaub to plan a community parade and program. The events first year success was so great that it was deemed worthwhile to conduct for a second year.

Many leaders of the community and the YMCA worked together to organize a parade and evening program. From this well-organized beginning, Holiday At Home was refined and enlarged to the present Labor Day weekend festival that is now enjoyed by tens of thousands of south suburban residents and visitors.

The name, Holiday At Home, was selected through a contest. It promotes the idea of staying at home over the holiday weekend, rather than becoming part of the large group of travelers at that time.

Kettering is used in the name to indicate the location; however, the festivities are intended for all of the communities south of Dayton. All southern communities and townships are invited to share in the Holiday At Home activities and to become part of the organization.

Now included in our events are: a parade, car show, arts & crafts festival, 5k run and a scholarship program ($10,000 given per year),