Community members, volunteers, and Buckeye Trail Association representatives take part in a ceremonial ribbon cutting in Peebles on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, celebrating the village’s official designation as the 22nd Buckeye Trail Town. (Photo by Ryan Applegate)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
The Village of Peebles marked a milestone on October 1 as community members, Buckeye Trail Association leaders, and regional partners gathered for a ribbon-cutting that made the designation official: Peebles is now the 22nd Buckeye Trail Town in Ohio. The mid-morning ceremony drew a strong weekday crowd and featured remarks from local and state partners, a formal proclamation recognizing the designation, and a celebratory “Hike Into Health” first mile with the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition.
The program opened with Trail Town Coordinator Kim Love Ottobre, who quipped that her surname means “October” in Italian and declared this month a fitting time to celebrate Peebles. Ottobre introduced the many Buckeye Trail Association attendees on hand, including Executive Director Andrew Bashaw, Volunteer Program Manager Alexis Nolan, and Marketing Director Aiden Ray, as well as chapter and section leaders who help maintain the trail across southwest and south-central Ohio. Local public officials and partners were also recognized, including Mayor Stephanie Harper; Teresa Lewis from Congressman David Taylor’s office; and Health and Wellness Coalition co-chairs Holly Johnson and Debbie Ryan.
Bashaw thanked Ottobre for shepherding Peebles through the process and described what sets the Trail Town program apart. He said some community recognitions largely honor past efforts, while the Buckeye Trail Town designation signals an ongoing relationship and a commitment to the future. In his words, the program invites a town to embrace the Buckeye Trail as part of what comes next.
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