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Winners revealed at Mary Allison annual luncheon
Mary Allison’s memorial to her daughter Molly which began more than 125 years ago continues to do good things for the students of Putnam County.
Every year each of the eight Putnam County elementary schools receive $1,000 from the Mary Allison Children’s Trust Fund. Teachers and counselors at each school determine how the money is spent. It can be used for any purpose as long as it benefits the students of their school.
The fund provides financial assistance toward health care, education and welfare Putnam County students.
Each September school administrators, trust fund members and board members come together at a luncheon sponsored by Wabash Capital Inc. and Tri County Bank & Trust Co. at Area 30 Career Center, with a lunch prepared and served by the Culinary Arts Class to celebrate the success of the Trust.
“It is in this room that the real stories of what the trust fund means are told by the people who get to see and live the experience,” Mary Allison Children’s Trust Board President Jim Jackson said. “It may seem like a small thing a filled prescription, lab fees, book rental trip or utility assistance — but it is very large to a child and his or her family.”
Michael McHugh, principal at Deer Meadow informed the group that because of the trust the school is able to fund delinquent lunch accounts so that a student has a choice at lunch.
Rodney Simpson, principal at Bainbridge announced that the Bowtie Club went well and that will continue for 2018-19. Simpson said students from the previous year will be mentors for the year.
Treasurer Ginger Scott announced the grant winners for the 2018-19 first semester. Tzouanakis Intermediate and Central/Fillmore elementaries received grants for Sensory/Calming Boxes.
Tzouanakis counselor Jamy Landry said the boxes “will be used in classrooms to assist teachers in helping a student who may have anxiety or become agitated without having to leave the room.”
Landry is thrilled “to be able to have a box of stress balls available to the students. You would be amazed how this one item comforts an anxious student.”
Grant applications for the second semester will be available in January 2019.
The orphan home was originally created by Mary Allison following the deaths of her grandchild and daughter in 1887 and 1888. During that time, 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.
Although the residence no longer houses 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 of Putnam County. As elementary students are the board of directors’ main focus, they also assist with Pre-K, middle school and high school needs throughout the county.
The goal of the board of directors is to provide funding necessary to continue the heritage of Mary Allison in improving the lives of Putnam County children.
Money is raised through contributions and an annual golf outing. Wabash Capital and Terre Haute Savings Bank are the financial overseers of the trust.
Trust Patrons include Wabash Capital, Tri County Bank & Trust Co., Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church, Walmart Distribution, Greencastle Rotary Club, HMSB Insurance, Humphreys Outdoor Power, Mennonite Mutual Insurance Co. and Servies and Morgan Funeral Home. Trust Partners are York Automotive and JoAnn Linn.
Contributions to the Mary Allison Children’s Trust may be mailed to Treasurer Ginger Scott at P.O. Box 369, Greencastle, IN 46135.