And the essay winner is...

Rachel Leach's essay about Christina Menke's work with youth and horses at Hope Haven Horse Farm is the Grand Prize winner of the Putnam County Community Foundation's National Philanthropy Week Essay Contest. In recognition of her accomplishment, Leach's school, Cloverdale Middle School, received a grant of $500 and Hope Haven Horse Farm received a grant of $150. Contest finalist Hannah Mann is also a CMS student and wrote about her "hero" -- her mother. Hannah's mother Jennifer was chosen to be the topic of her daughter's essay due to all her good work with other students. Hannah chose New Providence Baptist Church Food Pantry to receive the Finalist Grant Award of $50. Pictured front row from left are Mann, Leach, Menke and Jinsie Bingham, who was one of the contest judges; back row, Jennifer Mann, Jim Rempe, representing New Providence food pantry and Elaine Peck, executive director of PCCF. The National Philanthropy Week Essay Contest is another opportunity provided by the unrestricted Community Grants Endowment of PCCF. Anyone may contribute to the unrestricted Community Grants Endowment or start a new endowment in his or her own name. Contributions to the Endowment should be made payable to the Putnam County Community  Foundation with "Community Grants Endowment" in the memo and mailed to: 2 S. Jackson St., Greencastle, IN 46135. Contributions may also be made online at www.pcfoundation.org. PCCF staff are available to assist donors make gifts of cash, stock, retirement assets, life insurance, bequests, real estate and other types of gifts to the fund.