Special scholarship, award winners honored at annual Foundation fete

Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Therese Cunningham and Susan Price are awarded Honorary Board Memberships at the Community Foundation annual meeting and recognized for their six years of board leadership and continued involvement with the Foundation as members of the Grants Committee. They were presented with engraved vases.

Attendees to the Putnam County Community Foundation's annual meeting learned how everyone in the community wins because of the work of the organization and gifts from its donors, but there were some special winners, as well.

Vickie Parker, a member of the Scholarship Committee, recognized the Lilly, Lyon and Zeiner scholarship winners in attendance and explained the importance of their award and how much each scholarship means to the donors who made it possible. This year's Lilly, Lyon and Zeiner scholars in attendance included Sam Gould, Sarah Cheatham and Brittani Wood. Past Lilly scholar Hannah Aker was also recognized.

Jim Ensley, adult co-chairman of the Youth Philanthropy Committee, told about the work of the Youth Philanthropy Committee and Jared James, publicity officer, discussed the joy of being able to serve and developing a lifelong desire to give. Nine recently graduated seniors were recognized for their service on the committee.

Ensley noted that committee members Cameron Mann and Katherine Spencer were not able to attend as they had just been selected as the state FFA president and secretary, respectively.

Committee members in attendance who were recognized for their service with personalized plaques were Katie Fulkerson, Sam Gould, Olivia Humphreys, Jared James, Nate Secrest and Emma Young. Tari Straziscar was also recognized although she was not able to attend.

Cathryn Ensley from the Friends of the Putnam County Library and Alice Greenburg, Putnam County Library director, updated the crowd of 130 on the Imagination Library project.

Imagination Library is a project begun by the Dolly Parton Foundation to give free, quality, age-appropriate books to children under the age of five. With the help of a grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation and donations from area businesses and individuals, 660 Putnam County children are receiving books in the mail monthly.

Cathryn Ensley told how children are anxious to check the mail daily to see when a new book arrives and when it does are hesitant to put it down. In less than a year, Putnam County has exceeded the national projection for the number of children involved in the program that would be expected closer to the end of three years.

Greenburg noted, "This investment in children will forever change Putnam County."

The formation of the Becky Brothers Service Scholarship was discussed by Becky's brother, Ron Brothers. Becky Brothers was a beloved teacher, coach and counselor at South Putnam who passed away in December 2011.

Brothers spoke of his family's desire to have permanent memorial to Becky that emphasized her dedication to service and a scholarship endowment at the Community Foundation was the perfect vehicle. The endowment is being funded by the generosity of family and community members to honor Ms. Brothers and South Putnam High School students who live out her commitment to service into the future. The first recipient of the Becky Brothers Service Scholarship awarded in May was Katherine Spencer.

Legacy Society member Todd Lewis told those assembled why he and wife Katrina are members. Lewis recounted their desire to support the vision care work of the Cloverdale Lions Club continue into the future.

The Lewises have named the Cloverdale Community Eye-Care Endowment managed by the Community Foundation as a beneficiary in their estate plans. The Legacy Society is a group of individuals who have chosen to give to a new or existing endowment through their estate planning.

Susan Price and Therese Cunningham were awarded Honorary Board Memberships at the Community Foundation and recognized for their six years of board leadership and continued involvement with the Community Foundation as members of the Grants Committee. After recounting the accomplishments and involvement of each lady, Elaine Peck, executive director of the Community Foundation, presented them with engraved vases.

Dinner attendees were given the opportunity to purchase a box of homemade chocolate donated by Treasures on the Square that gave them a 1-in-115 chance to win a Citizen EcoDrive watch donated by Mason Jewelers or a 32-inch flat panel television provided by Shuee and Sons. Rea Zeiner took home the TV, while Vickie Parker won the EcoDrive watch.

Event sponsors were North Salem State Bank, McDonald's/Jedele Enterprises, Dixie Chopper Business and Conference Center, Wabash Capital and Eitel's Florists.

Erika Matson and Kevin Smith, both students in the DePauw School of Music, added a musical touch playing saxophone solos and duets during the reception and dinner.

"We are grateful to our sponsors and partners in philanthropy who give so generously to help us make Putnam County even better," Peck said.

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