Your Gifts Your Dreams Your Legacy
Since 1991, thousands of people have chosen to give to causes they care about through the Marshall County Community Foundation. Anyone can be a philanthropist. Whether contributing to an existing fund or starting a new one, charitable endowments at MCCF improve the quality of life for the citizens of Marshall County and succeeding generations. MCCF receives gifts from people who care about Marshall County communities, invests these gifts forever, and uses the investment earnings to make grants each year to charitable causes. On these pages are stories of MCCF donors who are among those that have made contributions aligned with their values, life experiences, interests and desire to help Marshall County communities thrive. There are stories of vision. There are stories of compassion and commitment for others. There are stories of dedication to the arts, education and the environment. There are stories of parents inspiring children and neighbors caring for each other. Whether you have a crystal clear concept of what you hope to accomplish with your philanthropy – or an idea that’s just taking shape – the Marshall County Community Foundation can help you achieve your philanthropic goals. Your options range from creating a named fund for the common good to address emerging and evolving community needs, to establishing a donor advised fund from which you will recommend grants yourself, to designating one organization to benefit from your gift in perpetuity. Whatever your wishes, your hopes, your dreams for the future of your community, a charitable fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation can make them a reality. MCCF can help make your generosity more personal and more powerful.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson
Helping Great Ideas Take Flight MCCF’s General Endowment Fund
Since 1991, donors to the Marshall County Community Foundation have built the community’s assets to $30 million and over $10 million has been returned to the community to support hundreds of charitable organizations and causes. With over 320 funds at the Foundation, donors can choose to support an existing fund or start a new one. For those that want to support special initiatives or ever-changing needs in Marshall County, giving to the General Endowment Fund is one of the most flexible and responsive of the Foundation’s funds in addressing new and emerging community needs. More then $2 million has been distributed from this fund alone. Twice a year grants are awarded from the General Endowment Fund earnings to fund programs of nonprofit organizations. These grants support specific projects in areas such as the arts, education, health and human services, recreation and the environment. Projects funded over the years include the following: MCCF joined with community partners including businesses and local units of government across the county to provide a local match to bring a higher concentration of Project Lead the Way STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum to a 5-county region. Collectively the $4.4 million matching grant pilot program for the region provides all K-12 schools, public and private, opportunity to implement the rigorous, world-class STEM programs in engineering, biomedical science and computer science. The project helps address the need for a competitive workforce to boost the economic health and improve the quality of life for Marshall County residents. LaPaz Lions Club was
awarded a grant for signs at more than 40 unmarked cemeteries in the county. Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau was awarded funding for the Barn Quilt Tour; fifty barn quilts are displayed around Marshall County through this tourism project. Veterans Therapeutic Arts Center was awarded funds for a multi-media program to teach veterans new job skills by creating short productions. The Marshall County Council on Aging received match funding for vehicles in their rapidly expanding transportation program. Marshall Starke Development Center received funding for computer labs for those with developmental disabilities. Junior Achievement received an award to expand their programming to additional grade levels, teaching students how to develop job skills, make wise career choices, and become financially literate global citizens. Blessings in a Backpack received funds to provide weekend meals for 200 needy students. Earthworks was awarded funding for the Seed to Salad Project, an all-school garden at Washington Discovery School. Marshall County communities become stronger and more vibrant with each grant that is awarded to support innovative and creative projects.
Wrestling Takes Center Stage
Read Family Scholarship Fund Reflects Decades of Dedication to the Sport A scholarship can be one of the most exciting opportunities an athlete can receive for the hard work and success achieved in any sport. One Marshall County family is helping make dreams come true for those dedicated to the wrestling program at Plymouth High School. For James and Barbara Hendrix Read, their interest and passion for the sport began when their son Bob started wrestling shortly after the program was implemented at PHS. His brother Dave also had a high school career. The Reads, successful business owners and the parents of five children, spent many hours in the gym watching their boys. Their appreciation and passion for PHS wrestling would carry on for decades. Bob won a scholarship and went on to wrestle at Western Michigan University. After graduation, he returned to Plymouth to teach and coach wrestling. He and his wife Karen logged many hours developing wrestlers and building character in young men. Dave coached at the junior high level. Through their sons’ coaching, James and Barb rekindled their interest in wrestling. They got to know the PHS team members, supported and guided them, and provided many snacks along the way! Many of the young wrestlers referred to them as Grandpa and Grandma Read. Over the years, the Reads witnessed some exciting state championship matches. The Read’s sons and grandson were among those who qualified at the state level. After learning of one young man who wanted to continue to wrestle during his college years, the Read family decided to set up a scholarship fund. With the help of MCCF, Lilly Endowment, and memorial gifts for a former Plymouth High School wrestler, John Cartwright, the Read Wrestling Scholarship Fund was established. The fund provides a scholarship to a Plymouth High School senior wrestler who has put in time and effort to strengthen and promote the wrestling program during his high school years.
Retirement Gift ‘Pays it Forward’ Through Veterinary School Scholarships Dr. Edward Sommers Honors Former Professor
Dr. Ed Sommers, as a freshly minted veterinary school graduate, established a successful practice in Bourbon, Indiana, that continued to serve the community for many years. He always remembered and attributed much of his success to a professor at Purdue University. While a Purdue student, Ed spent a great deal of time with Dr. C. James Callahan. Ed wasn’t alone in his respect and appreciation for his mentor. Dr. Callahan’s career at Purdue brought him several commendations, including Outstanding Teacher in Veterinary Medicine (1969), Outstanding Clinician (1969), Faculty Award for Excellence in Service (1994) and Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence (1998.) Dr. Callahan became professor emeritus of veterinary clinical services in 1998 after teaching for 39 years at Purdue. Ed found Dr. Callahan’s guidance to be so influential that he often said he owed his former instructor fifty cents for every dollar he earned! Dr. Callahan’s retirement party was the perfect opportunity for Ed to honor his former professor in a way that will carry forward for generations. Ed started the Dr. C. James Callahan Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund to support senior veterinary students at Purdue. Dr. Sommer’s goal was to give back to those who gave to him. In turn, he experienced benefits too. He shared, “Never wait to give gifts away that you can afford to give now. You’ll miss out on a lot of pride and joy.”
A Sound Investment in a Family’s Future Habitat for Humanity Offers Simple, Affordable, Decent Housing
The heart of Marshall County is evident in an organization that recognizes the power of a helping hand. In 1989 Habitat for Humanity was founded in Marshall County and that was when this organization with national roots began bringing together local resources to help low-income residents realize the dream of owning their own home. The driving force behind this effort is the belief that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. Houses are built and repaired using volunteer labor and donations. Partner families help with the build and then purchase these houses through no-profit mortgage loans. The program helps families break the cycle of poverty and build long-term financial security. The affordable house payments help free up money for food, child care, medicine and other necessities. Studies show that decent housing improves health, increases children’s educational achievement and strengthens community ties. A grant from the Marshall County Community Foundation in 2006 helped start the Habitat ReStore in Plymouth. The ReStore resells any extra construction items not used in the build as well as nearly every other item donated to the store – appliances, furniture and more. These funds supplement donations for purchase of materials and have allowed local program administrators to consider expansion of the program to include more home construction projects. One young man from Plymouth helped with the build for his family’s home and later on, while in high school, he volunteered at the ReStore. His college applications included an essay on what it meant to him and his family to have a safe place to live thanks to Habitat for Humanity. He chose to attend IU-Purdue in Fort Wayne to study engineering. Habitat is transforming lives in Marshall County and the Habitat for Humanity Fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation supports these efforts.
Generation to Generation Boyer Scholarship Honors Those that Came Before
The inspiration for the Reverend J. Robert Boyer Scholarship Fund started with Kevin Boyer and his desire to honor his father and establish a family legacy. The naming of the fund and the determination of criteria for this scholarship will pass from generation to generation in the Boyer family. The first male heir in the succeeding generation will have opportunity to honor his father. Robert Boyer grew up in the Church of the Brethren. From the time he was a young boy, he had a passion to become a preacher. He would wander into the woods as a child, stand on a stump and preach to the squirrels and birds. Robert left school in the tenth grade but his persistence in pursuing his education led to a bachelor’s degree from McPherson College and a completion of his studies at Bethany Seminary. By the time he and his wife Bernice moved to Bourbon, Indiana, in 1965, they had three sons, Daniel Dean, David Alan, and Kevin Robert. Reverend Boyer served as pastor at the Mount Pleasant Church of the Brethren. He was well known as a passionate speaker and frequently held special services in which he would dress as a Biblical character and deliver his message from that character’s perspective. After a brief time in Washington state in 1971, the family returned to Bourbon the following year and Robert served as pastor of the Blissville Church of the Brethren. Throughout his life his roots remained firmly embedded in the Church of the Brethren. Tragically, on December 2, 1975, he suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 51. During Kevin’s lifetime the Reverend J. Robert Boyer Scholarship Fund provides a scholarship for a student choosing to pursue a degree in theology or a related field, or a student pursuing a degree in any field who is attending any one of the six Church of the Brethren colleges or universities across the country. While the name of the fund and scholarship criteria will change from one generation to the next, each change will reflect the bond between father and son. And each change will perpetuate a family tradition that engages in a culture of giving.
The Perfect Present
Jordan Family Ties to Bremen and Education Inspire Ultimate Gift At Christmas time in 2006, Jack Jordan and his wife, Dr. Hope Jordan, were struggling with gift ideas for Jack’s parents, Roland and Shirley Jordan. At that point, Jack’s father was nearing the end of his battle with cancer and his mother simply stated they had all they needed – the gift of another day together. Jack and Hope were faced with the dilemma of finding a meaningful gift. Jack and Hope decided to give Roland and Shirley the gift of a scholarship that was to be awarded to a Bremen High School graduate. This was the ideal gift given the family history in Bremen as one of the founding 32 families in the 1800’s. Jack’s mother was a sixth generation “Bremen-ite” and BHS graduate. Jack and his sister Beth were seventh generation “Bremen-ites” and their children are the eighth generation. In addition, Shirley was the Bremen High School secretary for several years and had always said that she loved “those goofy Mountain Dew guzzling kids.” This gift – the gift of giving - couldn’t have been more meaningful to Jack’s father and mother and was received with excitement, emotion and gratitude. After the first scholarship was awarded at the 2007 Bremen High School graduation ceremony, the Jordans decided the scholarship should be a permanent gift that would connect the Jordan family to Bremen for many more generations. The Jordan Family Scholarship Fund was established at the Marshall County Community Foundation on July 6, 2007. This gift will continue to be a source of encouragement for Bremen graduates in the years and decades ahead.
Gerald and Helen Hess Scholarship Fund ‘Pays it Forward’ Honoring Deep Roots in Argos Community and Education
Gerald M. Hess and Helen G. Hess were passionate about education and about Argos, the community in which they worked, raised their family, and developed lifelong friendships. Gerald was a graduate of Argos High School, class of 1935. After graduating from Purdue University, Gerald first taught vocational agricultural and science classes at LaPaz High School for five years. Later he served for 38 years as teacher, principal, or superintendent at Argos Community Schools, the last 19 as superintendent. As a teacher, he was instrumental in organizing the first Argos FFA Chapter in 1948 and served as an advisor to numerous FFA and 4-H judging teams and organizations. During his tenure as superintendent, he oversaw six building expansions while keeping the school’s budget “in the black.” He retired in 1983 and was honored by the community when he served as Grand Marshall for the 4th-a-Bration and then later honored by the school district and community when the high school auditorium was named after him. Helen was a graduate of Culver High School, class of 1936. After attending Ball State Teachers College, Helen also taught school. She was a teacher of first or third grade classes for a total of 32 years in LaPaz, Argos, and Plymouth. She was proud to have mentored ten student teachers throughout her career. Gerald and Helen established the Helen G. and Gerald M. Hess Scholarship Fund in 1997 because they believed strongly in education and lifelong learning and felt that excellent teachers have a positive impact on the communities they touch. Mr. and Mrs. Hess wanted to give back to the community they loved and believed the Marshall County Community Foundation would properly administer and manage a scholarship fund that would enable future generations of Argos students to achieve their potential and, in turn, pay it forward. The fund provides scholarships to Argos students, especially those who wish to pursue a future in teaching.
Paving the Way for Generations of Philanthropy
Bill and Betty Lou Laramore Lead by Example If life had worked out differently, Betty Lou Laramore might have been writing the news instead of making it. After graduating from Riley High School in South Bend, she wanted to become a journalist and even attended the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. But she met Bill Laramore and he made quite an impression. Bill graduated in 1938 from Plymouth High School and in 1942 from DePauw University where he was elected to Sigma Delta Chi journalism honorary. Bill and Betty Lou met through a Methodist Church meeting. He was the district president of the Youth Fellowship and fell hard for the petite redhead who was nine years younger than him. The courtship that followed led down a different road than the one Betty Lou had dreamed of earlier. On June 25, 1950, Betty Louise Pinney and William F. Laramore were married. They both worked many years in the family business, F.W. Bosworth Co., Inc. in Plymouth, the retail store his maternal grandfather started in 1891. Bill retired from the store as president and manager in 1982 with Betty joining him in retirement the following year. The couple raised two children, Jon and Ann. By all counts, volunteering enriched the lives of Betty Lou and Bill Laramore. Betty Lou was once described as a holy terror in volunteerism. She was a founding director and first secretary of the Marshall County Community Foundation, actively involved in raising more than three million dollars to match the initial Eli Lilly Foundation grant. She co-chaired the drive to raise $1 million for the new Holy Cross Parkview Hospital (now Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth). She served as president of the board of trustees of Plymouth Community Schools, Indiana Public Television Society, Ancilla College board of directors, PIDCO, Holy Cross Parkview Hospital Auxiliary, the local United Way and Tri Kappa active and associate chapters. She was on the board of directors of the United Telephone Company of Indiana, Holy Cross Parkview Hospital, St. Joseph’s Care Foundation, Plymouth Community Improvement Commission and the Indiana Medical and Nursing Distribution Loan Fund. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church and their choir and co-chaired the 1998 drive to renovate the sanctuary building. For 10 years, she was a member of the board of directors (and the first female from the Marshall County area) of Michiana Public Broadcasting Corp. which manages WNIT television. In 1992, she was named Outstanding Auction Volunteer. The National Friends of Public Broadcasting honored her with the Elaine Peterson Special Achievement Award in 1995. One of her biggest coups was raising the money and signing up the “Lawrence Welk Show” for WNIT.
In 1963 Bill was appointed to the Plymouth Public Library Board, beginning many years of devoted service to Indiana’s libraries. He served 15 years on the local board and 12 years on the Indiana Library and Historical Board, which manages the State Library and Historical Bureau. He was president of each of these boards and of the Indiana Library Trustees Association and Friends of Indiana Public Libraries, the only person to be president of all three of these state groups. In 1979 he was named Indiana’s Outstanding Library Trustee. As Plymouth library board president, Bill was a leader of the effort to find funding for the new library building when it was built in the late 1970s. The public meeting room in the expanded Plymouth Library was named in his honor. For many years he organized the local Friends of the Library book sale and he was the first recipient of the Plymouth Friends of the Library award. Bill served as president of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Community Fund (now United Way), Friends of Ancilla College and DePauw Area Alumni. He was a Plymouth city councilman, Republican precinct committeeman for 15 years, director and secretary of Plymouth Industrial Development Co., board member of State Exchange Bank, Kiwanis Club, and Marshall County Historical Society, and co-chaired the Plymouth Area Bicentennial Commission. An active member of First United Methodist Church, he served as a Sunday School teacher for more than 25 years, District Lay Leader, and on many church committees. He worked with 4-H clubs, Cub Scouts and Camp Fire. In 1972, with his wife, he received the Plymouth Jaycees Distinguished Citizen Award, in 1983 the Ancilla College Distinguished Service Award, in 2003 the Community Spirit award given by Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Plymouth and in 2005 the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizens Award. Bill and Betty Lou were stalwarts of the Methodist Church and the Republican Party. In 2004, Bill and Betty Lou were each honored by Gov. Joseph E. Kernan as a Sagamore of the Wabash.
John Finlay
The First United Methodist Church Endowment Fund was established in 1994 by Bill and Betty Lou Laramore. Other members soon followed their example by making contributions to the fund benefitting areas of their interest in the church: social concerns, missions, music, education, building and elevator installation/maintenance. Currently there are 30 such areas of interest (funds) under the FUMC Endowment umbrella. When a fund is established, a leaf with the donor’s name and designated interest is added to the Endowment Tree on display at the Church.
Throughout their lives, the Laramores were committed volunteers working for the good of the community - in multiple ways. Bill and Betty Lou wanted the Marshall County Community Foundation to succeed. Betty Lou, as one of the founders, knew the way to do that was to set up a Fund. Their first fund was for First United Methodist Church with annual distributions to be determined by the Board of Trustees. Then they established the Laramore Family Fund so their children could take part in decisions about directing spendable earnings, and learn the joy and satisfaction of giving to the community. The Laramores wanted to keep most of their gift-giving local, to continue to build and improve the Plymouth community they love so much. Betty Lou said that knowing their gifts were for endowment, which will be there forever to create spendable funds, makes the giving a special pleasure. Betty Lou shared this message with those who might be considering a contribution to MCCF: “Look over the impressive list of funds already established at the Foundation. Read annual reports and other information about what MCCF is doing and has done. Is there a fund you would like to support, or is there some other cause you would like to help by setting up a fund? Talk to someone connected with the Foundation including board members or someone with an existing fund. You will be amazed at what you learn.�
The Journey is the Joy
Lopp Family Discovers Philanthropic Passions We’re traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and village halls... But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination... So restlessly, we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the station. Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. – (Excerpts from “The Station” by Robert Hastings)
For Dr. Vance Lopp, Robert Hasting’s essay “The Station” has always had special meaning and it was on his mind as he shared his family’s philanthropic journey. For Vance and Debbie Lopp, it began in earnest in 1994 over lunch at the Mint Still Restaurant in Bremen when they sat down with two MCCF board members. They, like many others, had a heart for their community, but raising a family and other interests and demands were at the top of the priority list. When it came to charitable giving, they wanted to learn more. Shortly after the meeting, they started the Vance F. and Deborah A. Lopp Fund. Each year they contributed to the fund and each year made a decision on which charitable cause they would support. After Debbie passed away, Vance and his children, Tim and Holly, went on to establish the Lopp Family Fund in 2008 to honor Debbie’s infectious spirit and zest for life and to further develop their family’s philanthropic habits and commitments. The Lopps have supported food pantries, women’s shelters, education, environment and bike trails. “Almost everywhere we look there is a need and we become interested!” said Vance. He adds, “If it weren’t for the Marshall County Community Foundation, I don’t think this would have ever happened. The Foundation was necessary for our education and development in generosity. It provided us with a managed, safe haven for our monies and a vehicle for distributing funds. And the ‘rewards’ of giving? In addition to the obvious benefits to the recipient, there is also a satisfaction and fulfillment for ourselves as friends and neighbors and as citizens of a community, and a desire to be good, caring, and compassionate human beings, making a difference in our communities.”
Wythougan Valley Preservation Council Dedicated to the Past with an Eye Toward the Future
Named for the Potawatomi word for the Yellow River, the Wythougan Valley Preservation Council initially formed in 1999 for the preservation of the Garn House in Plymouth, Indiana. Since that time the organization has continued to inform and involve the public on other projects for the preservation of local heritage. The Board of Directors is comprised of individuals from all ten townships and routinely evaluates potential projects in communities throughout Marshall County. As opportunities are presented for the preservation of community heirlooms, the Wythougan Valley Preservation Council remains committed to protecting the enduring legacy of early Marshall County pioneers in forming and shaping today’s communities With the celebration of its 15th year in 2014, the organization has completed several National Register nominations and rescued and restored, in addition to the Garn House in Plymouth, the Summit School in Tippecanoe Township, and Jacoby Church near Plymouth. In recognition of the State of Indiana’s bicentennial, the Council plans to have all National Register-eligible properties and districts in the county listed by 2016 and included in a publication telling the histories of each property. The Wythougan Valley Preservation Council Fund was established at the Marshall County Community Foundation in 2010. This endowment fund is open to receive charitable gifts to assist with ongoing costs and future preservation work in Marshall County. Wythougan is a member of the Marshall County Historical Society and an affiliate member of Indiana Landmarks.
It Started with One Teacher’s Passion
Triton Education Funds Support Scores of Scholarships Mary Thomas, a former Triton school teacher, was passionate about helping students help themselves. Through Mary’s generosity, the Triton Education Foundation was formed in the early ‘80s. For a number of years, it awarded a $500 annual scholarship to a graduating Triton senior. In the early ‘90s, Dave Gibson encouraged school officials to create a fund with the newly established Marshall County Community Foundation. Dave believed that an MCCF fund would bring peace of mind and fiscal sustainability for generations to come under MCCF management. Due to a matching Lilly Endowment Grant at the time, Dave pointed out the earning potential that would be created not only for Triton Education Foundation, but for many other community organizations as well through growth of a Marshall County philanthropy (general endowment) fund. The Triton Education Fund was moved to MCCF and has grown from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Numerous other scholarship funds benefitting Triton students have been created over the years under the MCCF umbrella. Many of these scholarships are memorial contributions that keep alive memories of outstanding Triton area citizens and encourage future generations to reach their full potential as well. Triton school officials and Dave believed that the complexities and time involved in managing a nonprofit organization, investing funds, and preserving good intentions of donors was best left to qualified and trained professionals at MCCF. They also wanted to see their funds grow to benefit more students and are excited that scholarships are now supporting scores of Triton graduates. They see each student’s success as a success for Triton School Corporaton, for Triton students and their parents, and for the Triton community and the entire county. Every school corporation in Marshall County has a fund or funds at the Marshall County Community Foundation that support scholarships or other educational interests. Those interested in supporting education in Marshall County may contribute to an existing fund or start a new one.
Sgt. Jason Nemeth Memorial Scholarship Fund Annual 5k Walk/Run Connects Family and Friends in Five States Sgt. Jason Nemeth’s impact on those who knew him is clear. Every year family and friends, including those who met him in college or during military service, gather at locations in five states to honor his memory. From Washington D.C. to Oregon and points in between, runners don t-shirts in a variety of colors but all with his name. They remember and, as a result, others do too. Jason was the son of Timothy and Diana Nemeth. He graduated from Plymouth High School with the class of 2003, and from Ball State University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 2008. He joined the Army on Sept. 12, 2006, and remained active with the Indiana Army National Guard. Jason was employed with the Marshall County Sheriff’s office. He loved to play golf, hunt, target shoot and to hang out with his brother, Steve, and college friends. Always active, he was prepared for everything and was determined to be the best. He stayed in great physical shape by working out. Jason enjoyed watching and cheering on the Indianapolis Colts, and was also active playing semi–pro football for a short time. A true hero, Jason was deployed to Afghanistan for one tour of duty. For his part in these achievements, he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the Army Accommodation Valor Device, the Army Achievement Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one Star. As is the case for an estimated fifteen percent of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jason was diagnosed with PTSD upon his return. Tragically, within eleven months of coming home, he took his life in June 2011. As family and friends and sometimes even strangers, gather each year for the annual fundraiser, the proceeds from the event support the Sgt. Jason Nemeth Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation. Jason’s family knows how much he valued his education. A scholarship for Plymouth High School students assures his memory will be honored for years to come.
Helping Change Lives in Africa
Trinity United Methodist Mission Scholarship Fund Inspired by their own trips to Zimbabwe, Lester and Sue Read established an endowment fund at Marshall County Community Foundation to support their church’s mission trips. The Trinity United Methodist Mission Scholarship Fund helps make it possible for others to follow in their footsteps and go on mission trips to help those in need. In the past 20 years, Tim Grace has had the opportunity to visit several African countries as a volunteer missionary. His most recent mission trip was funded in part with the distributions from the Read’s endowment fund. This trip was special to Tim because he was part of a group that went to assist a friend who decided to become a fulltime missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While they were there, the group installed plumbing along with cabinets and countertops. They were also able to visit several local churches and spend time with the United Methodist District Superintendent of the area and his family.
The John Marshall Legacy Society Honoring MCCF’s Planned Giving Partners
The John Marshall Legacy Society honors those individuals who convey their values by creating a future gift to support a charitable cause through the Marshall County Community Foundation. The society bears the name of John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1801 to 1835. Marshall County was named after Chief Justice Marshall, a man who produced some of the most important decisions that have become fundamentals of U.S. law. By his actions, he left a positive legacy that has affected many generations and shaped Marshall County’s way of life. Like Chief Justice Marshall, thoughtful individuals have chosen to leave a legacy through the Community Foundation from their life’s work. Becoming a member of the Legacy Society ensures that the values they cherish and the causes they care about in Marshall County or elsewhere will be long remembered. They know that the assets they leave with the Marshall County Community Foundation will continue to grow and support good works for generations to come. Living members have made known to the Foundation their plans to provide future support through a bequest or other planned gift. The Community Foundation also recognizes, in perpetual memory, those individuals who have donated a legacy through their estate.
Keeping a Friend’s Memory Alive is a Powerful Thing Craig Woolfington Funds Support Cancer Research and Scholarships
A simple promise made to a friend has grown into a legacy that touches many people. At age 41, Craig Woolfington died suddenly and tragically of cancer. Craig left behind his loving wife Trina and beautiful daughter Kate who was two years old at the time. It was Mark Lindsey who made a promise to Craig that he would be sure Craig’s daughter Kate would have a chance to attend college. Teaming up with another close friend, Tony Plothow, the pair set out to keep that promise. Andy Caine joined the efforts as well. Craig will always be remembered as a caring, loving, good-humored person that touched the lives of everyone who knew him. Through the overwhelming support of family and friends, Mark, Tony and Andy were able to keep the promise and do so much more. They organized a memorial golf outing in Plymouth, Craig’s hometown, which raised money to help provide for Kate’s education with enough money left over to establish the Craig Woolfington Cancer Research Fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation. Every year, a portion of the proceeds from the Craig Woolfington Memorial Golf Outing are added to the fund, and every year, the fund distributions go to cancer research at Craig’s alma mater, Purdue University. Strong participation and support of this annual event was so successful that an additional fund at MCCF was started. The Craig Woolfington Memorial Scholarship Fund supports the education of a Plymouth High School graduating senior enrolled at Purdue University. Craig’s enduring strength and courage and his love of life and people continues to bring the community together to honor him and his legacy will impact many more through cancer research and local scholarships.
‘Culver Summer Camps are Greatest Beginning Camping Experience in the Country’ Former U.S. Representative Elwood “Bud” Hillis Cultivates Culver/Marshall County Partnership
Former U.S. Representative Elwood “Bud” Hillis, a Kokomo native, has deep roots in Marshall County that can be traced back to his Culver Summer Camp experience. He was first introduced to Woodcraft Camp as an 11-year old in 1937. He returned the following summer and then attended four years at Culver Military Academy, graduating in 1944.
Bud went on to serve in the U.S. Army in the European Theater with the rank of first lieutenant from 1944-46. After earning his law degree from Indiana University, he was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1952 and commenced practice in Kokomo for the next 18 years. In 1954, he retired from the Reserves with the rank of captain in the infantry. Mr. Hillis served in the Indiana General Assemblies as a member of the House of Representatives from 1966 through 1970. He served as a delegate to the Indiana State Republican conventions from 1962-1970. He went on to serve Indiana’s 5th District for 16 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, after being elected to his first term in 1970. He was involved in the development of the M1 (or Abrams) Tank and was instrumental in the government’s bailout of Chrysler Corporation in 1979. Bud was the first Republican that the Indiana AFL-CIO ever endorsed for Congress. After 8 terms, which he had won by an average of 44,000 votes, he retired from Congress in 1987.
Woodcraft Camp, for children nine to thirteen years old, made such a profound impression on Mr. Hillis that he and his wife, Carol, wanted to provide the opportunity for Marshall County youth. They created the Marshall County Friends of Culver Fund at the Marshall County Community Foundation to provide tuition for a boy and girl from Marshall County to attend the camp. Mr. Hillis said of his Culver Woodcraft Camp experience: “It’s the greatest beginning camping experience in the country… Woodcraft gives you an enjoyment of nature that you don’t get any other way.” He was pleased to see and encourage a good relationship between Culver and Marshall County. In retirement, Mr. Hillis returned to a home on Lake Maxinkuckee with Carol and they divide their time between Culver and Colorado. Mr. Hillis served on the Marshall County Community Foundation board and continued to generously support Culver Summer Camps and other Marshall County organizations. Mr. and Mrs. Hillis also established the The Elwood H. & Carol H. Hillis Charitable Fund that supports Ancilla College and the Marshall County Friends of the Culver Youth Center Fund that supports the Culver Boys and Girls Club. Together they had three sons – Jeff, Gary and the late Brad Hillis. They have three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A son and granddaughter attended Culver Summer Camps as well. Mr. Hillis is the brother of renowned choral director Margaret Hillis and the grandson and namesake of inventor and automobile pioneer Elwood Haynes.
Center For Hospice A Community of Caring, Making the Most of Living
The African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” is true at the end of life as well as early in life. Every patient that comes to Center for Hospice Care has a story. Each story, just like each patient, is different. Some people travel the world and see things that are hard to believe. Others never leave their hometown and raise a beautiful family. But what makes each story special is that it is uniquely theirs. And teams from hospice are there to share the journey. Center for Hospice Care provides skilled, compassionate care for patients facing serious, life-limiting illnesses regardless of their ability to pay. An independent, community-based, not-for-profit organization, CHC improves the quality of living through hospice, home health, grief counseling and education to eight counties in Northern Indiana, including Marshall County. On any given day, 2,700 people in their service area access these services at no charge. The support of CHC can provide a variety of services such as: • A trip to Camp Evergreen for a grieving child or teenager • Counseling session for those who have lost a loved one, regardless of whether he/she was a CHC patient • Prescription medications for a patient without means to purchase them • In-home hospice care or hospice care in one of CHC’s Hospice Houses for a patient facing a life-limiting illness. A frequent concern of CHC donors is that they want to make sure others will be able to receive the care and support that was available to their family while a loved one was in hospice care. CHC wanted to make sure that Marshall County residents had a way to support their mission locally – setting up a fund with the Marshall County Community Foundation was an excellent way to do so.
COMMUNITY-MINDED PARTNERS • TRUSTED INVESTORS VISIONARY THINKERS • OPPORTUNITY CONNECTORS
2701 NORTH MICHIGAN STREET • PO BOX 716 • PLYMOUTH, IN 46563 574.935.5159 • www.marshallcountycf.org info@marshallcountycf.org