Gobin supports Mary Allison Trust with recent donation

Mary Allison Children's Trust board member Ginger Scott (right) accepts a $2,400 check for the fund recently from Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church, represented by Rev. Bryan Langdoc and Barbara Jackson. The church is a 2015 Trust Patron for the charity. (Courtesy photo)

Rev. Bryan Langdoc of Gobin United Methodist recently presented a $2,400 check to Mary Allison board member Ginger Scott. The money goes to support the Mary Allison Children's Trust Fund which provides medical and educational assistance to all Putnam County elementary students.

Established more than 100 years ago, the fund provides financial assistance toward health care, education and welfare for underprivileged children in Putnam County when all other resources have been exhausted.

Annually each Putnam County school receives cash grants of $1,000 to provide medical and educational assistance to any student up to the age of 18 who needs help. The funds are unrestricted, meaning school officials can use them for any purpose as long as it benefits the students.

Children have been helped in a variety of ways since the start of the trust. Most often monies have been used to pay for counseling, medical, dental or to purchase glasses for students.

They funds also have been used in special circumstances such as providing travel expenses for a child to get to an out-of-state hospital for a rare surgical procedure and to purchase clothing for a child and family members when their home burned.

Over the years, board members of the trust estimate that it financially assists at least 10 children from each county elementary school each year, totaling 100 children each year.

The Mary Allison Children's Trust came about from the sale of the Mary Allison Children's Home in mid-1980 to a non-profit organization.

The orphan home was originally created by Mary Allison following the deaths of her grandchild and daughter in 1887 and 1888. During this era children who had no home were usually sent to work on the County Farm.

As a memorial to her daughter, Mary Allison created a corporation to manage "The Putnam County Orphans' Home," which opened with seven children living in it.

The institution was housed in several locations over time eventually ending up in 1922 in the old Lockridge home on West Columbia Street in Greencastle. It soon became known as the Allison Home.

After decades of housing needy children the home finally closed in 1992. Although the residence no longer housed children, the legacy of the Mary Allison's trust continues to this day through the current program of providing each elementary school with funds to help children in need.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Mary Allison Children's Trust, P.O. Box 369, Greencastle, IN 46135.

For information about the trust, persons may call Ginger Scott at 655-2333 or email her at gscott@wabashcapital.com.