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Posted 9/28/11
Foundation to Recognize
Bob Corbin for Service to the Community
Robert L. Corbin — who spent 28 years as an elected official representing the people of Centerville and Washington Township before retiring in 2006 — will be recognized by the Centerville-Washington Foundation as a Community Founder at an October 27 reception at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace.
The Foundation’s Community Founder award was initiated to recognize outstanding service to Centerville and Washington Township.
Corbin served 24 years as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, from 1977 to 2000. He was a member of the Centerville City Council from 2002-2006.
“Bob Corbin is one of the giants of our community. He represented Centerville and Washington Township with great distinction. And his achievements go well beyond our neighborhoods to the region where he was instrumental in getting state funding support for the Schuster Center and played a leading role in ending forced busing in Dayton,” Foundation Board president Judy Budi said.
Corbin was an Army artillery officer during World War II who was captured by the Germans and held as a Prisoner of War. Forced to march 42 days into Germany, he escaped and spent nine days in the dense Bavarian forest before making his way back behind the American lines. He tells the story in his recently published novel, “CAPTURED: The POW Saga of Frank Battle.”
In Columbus, Corbin served as chairman of the House Finance Committee, considered to be the most important committee in the Republican caucus. Earlier in his statehouse years, he served as chairman of the House Commerce and Labor Committee and Majority Whip.
Corbin had a reputation as a “fair Republican.” He said he “always did what he thought best, though it may not have been necessarily politically correct.” He was considered to be somewhere between a moderate and a conservative.
When he retired because of term limits, fellow House members described him as a legend, hero, master, savior, mentor and role model, according to newspaper reports. His years in the House, he said, “were the most fulfilling experience of my life.” As he left, he received a 30-second standing ovation from the House floor.
In addition to his years in public office, Corbin is a member of the board of Trustees of Sinclair Community College, active with the Centerville Rotary Club and has served on the board of Hithergreen Center
The Founders Event is a fundraiser sponsored by the Centerville-Washington Foundation, a community foundation that supports city-township non-profit agencies. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Foundation’s discretionary fund and be available to community organizations through the grant process.
Previous honorees recognized by the Foundation are Marilyn McLaughlin, longtime Clerk of the Centerville City Council; the late Frederick C. Smith, former CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Huffy Corporation; and Shirley and Paul Heintz. Shirley served three terms as Centerville Mayor and Paul retired as Vice President for Finance at the Peter Kuntz Lumber Company. Dr. Richard B. and S. Sue Studebaker (in memoriam) were recognized as Community Founders in 2008. Jim Reppert and Joe Beyerle, two leaders of the Americana Festival, were honored in 2009 and David and Doris Ponitz — he’s an internationally known educator and she is a very active community volunteer — were recognized last year.
Founded in 1998, the Centerville-Washington Foundation has been highly successful in helping people through grants and in helping donors find the best ways of contributing to worthy causes. The Foundation’s tag line is, “Helping people help our community.”
The Foundation’s grant programs have helped children, seniors, and at-risk populations, as well as provided support to local arts and humanities, conservation and environment, education, health and social service organizations. For more information, please contact Bob Daley at 433-0811.
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