New emcee named for ‘Ohio Has Talent!’

Community Health Professionals information

The Rev. Scott Campbell of Trinity United Methodist Church in Van Wert will serve as emcee for this year’s “Ohio Has Talent!” event on Saturday, February 28, at 7 p.m. at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.

Campbell is replacing Wally Grimm, who had filled the role since the show debuted in 2008, but is recovering from recent surgery.

Campbell is familiar with the show and says he is looking forward to experiencing the show on stage this year after watching from the audience the past few years.

“We have enjoyed the show and I look forward to meeting all the different acts and talents,” he said.

Campbell and his wife, Caralee, are also NPAC volunteers and have assisted with behind-the-scenes tasks for events at the center.

“I just ran into a woman this weekend at a meeting in the Dayton area,” Campbell said. “When I told her I lived in Van Wert, she mentioned the PAC and said her son was competing in ‘Ohio Has Talent!’ I told her I was a volunteer there and she said, ‘I might see you then,’ and I replied, ‘I think you will!’”

Campbell said he offered the woman a single piece of advice for her son – one that he says will be his aim as emcee as well — engage the audience.

“Because the audience decides the winner, you have to draw them into your act,” he said. “The acts that stand out aren’t the ones who just get up and play or sing; it’s the ones you connect with that do well.”

Born in Lancaster, Campbell grew up in Millersport, the youngest of three siblings. He and Caralee married in June 1986 and in October of the same year, Campbell entered the United States Air Force. He first came to faith in Christ in 1989.

While stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 1990, Campbell earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. As his faith walk grew deeper, he felt the calling to go into the ordained ministry and when his enlistment was over 1996, he enrolled in seminary at Methodist Theological School.

That same year, Campbell was appointed to Monroe Street United Methodist Church in Toledo as the youth pastor. He also enrolled into the chaplain candidate program that year, to become a chaplain in the USAF reserves, a position he garnered in 2000.

While serving as wing chaplain at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Campbell was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in 2009.

He retired from the USAF with 24 years of service in July 2011, shortly after being appointed as pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Van Wert.

Before coming to Van Wert, Campbell pastored churches in Ostrander and Bainbridge. The Campbells have two adult daughters, Caitlin and Cydney, who both live in the Columbus area.

Ohio Has Talent! is a benefit show that raises funds for the nonprofit Community Health Professionals’ Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center. This year’s show features 16 local and regional performers – ranging in age from 12 to 90 — competing for $1,000, $500 and $250 prizes determined by audience votes.

Campbell believes the show is a great vehicle to highlight hospice services that are available to the area residents and to raise funds for local hospice center.

“Hospice is much-needed care for our community,” Campbell said. “The people at the hospice center provide phenomenal care and are very genuine in their compassion for both the patient and their families.”

Ohio Has Talent! contestant photos and bios can be viewed at comhealthpro.org/Ohio_Has_Talent.php and Facebook.com/ComHealthPro.

Tickets are available through the NPAC ticket office, 419.238.6722 and online at npacvw.ticketforce.com. Select tickets are also available through Community Health Professionals, 1159 Westwood Drive in Van Wert, 419.238.9223.