In 2025 Diane Selby received the Silver Torch Award from President Don Larson
Thanks to Current Torch Award Winners
Gold Torch Award for Outstanding Service to the International Association of Torch Clubs:
Rich Davis (2021)
Dorothy Driskell (2018)
Liz Short (2022)
Silver Torch Award for Outstanding Service to the Torch Club of Columbus:
James W. Bishop (2003)
Thomas Constantiello (2021)
Dorothy Driskell (2015)
Raimund Goerler (2025)
David Hammond (2013)
John O’Meara (2010)
Thom Seelbach (2016)
Diane Selby (2025)
Steve Sterrett (2026)
Lee Vescelius (2009)
Torch Club newsletter
The Torch Club of Columbus, Ohio, publishes a newsletter, The Torch Lighter, that is distributed monthly (September through May) via email to all members. Each newsletter offers a preview of the next Torch paper, prints the Member’s Moment that each month highlights the life and career of a club member, and reports other news about members and club activities.
Click on the month below for the recent newsletters:
January 2026 (No newsletter)
August 2025 (No Newsletter)
July 2025 (No Newsletter)
January 2025 (No newsletter)
January 2024 (no newsletter; Club did not meet)
Torch Club ofColumbus, Ohio
Schedule of Programs 2026-2027
October 1, 2026: Bob Stevenson on Cleveland Browns Coach Paul Brown breaking the color barrier in the NFL.
November 5, 2026: Jerry Rampelt explaining how analytics, voter modeling, and voter targeting have changed political campaigns.
December 3, 2026: Holiday concert with The Ohio State University Men's Glee Club.
February 4, 2027: Brian Danforth, associate senior vice president of advancement at The Ohio State University, explaining how a major university conducts fundraising and creates an $8 billion endowment.
March 4, 2027: Susan Warrener Smith on Franz Liszt with Thom Seelbach at the piano.
April 1, 2027: Steve Sterrett on rethinking the decriminalization of illicit drug use.
May 6, 2027: Bruce Smith on bridging the gap over divisions within churches.
June 3, 2027: Fazeel Khan on the origin of boxer Muhammad Ali's name.
Columbus Torch was well represented in Baltimore at the convention of the International Association of Torch Clubs in June of 2023.
Portrait of Rev. Dr. McIIyar H. Lichliter, first president of Torch Columbus, 1926-27 and 1927-28.
More than 50 members braved cold and snow to attend Francille Firebaugh’s presentation, “How do Women and Men differ in their Work and Careers?” on January 6, 2022 at the OSU Faculty Club.
OSU Mens Glee Club entertain at the Dec 2021 meeting.
In December 2016, the Columbus Torch Club celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding. Holding the numbers are past club presidents Jeff Caswell and Dorothy Driskell.