Parker Family Scholarship to support ag and theater students

Courtesy photo Members of the Rick and Vickie Parker Family helping create a new scholarship at the Putnam County Foundation are (from left) Matt Helmer, Parker Helmer, Joyce Helmer, Blaise, Vickie Parker and Rick Parker.

The Putnam County Community Foundation has announced that the family of Rick and Vickie Parker of Stilesville has established a new scholarship endowment that will benefit Putnam County students in perpetuity.

The scholarship will provide financial support to students graduating from Cloverdale, South Putnam and Greencastle high schools and will support those intending to complete a bachelor's degree in either agriculture at Purdue University or theater at any school in Indiana.

An advisory committee designated by the Putnam County Community Foundation will recommend scholarship finalists, and the Parker family may choose to join the committee to interview and rank finalists. The Board of Directors of the Foundation has final approval of scholarship nominees.

"We have many friends at North Putnam," Vickie Parker explained. "But we chose Cloverdale, South Putnam and Greencastle because there are strong family ties to these schools.

"I graduated from Cloverdale; my mother, Adeline Knoy, taught there for many years; and I taught at Greencastle High School for 24 years. My son, Matt, and his wife Joyce graduated from Greencastle, and Rick graduated from Fillmore High School, which is now South Putnam.

"Rick graduated from Purdue University in agricultural mechanization" she added, "and high school and community theater have been a treasured part of my life."

Anyone may contribute to the Rick and Vickie Parker Family Scholarship Fund in honor or in memory of a special person or pet.

Contributions to the endowment are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law, and are matched dollar for dollar. Checks may be made payable to the Putnam County Community Foundation with "Parker Scholarship" in the memo, and mailed to 2 S. Jackson St., Greencastle, IN 46135 or online at www.pcfoundation.org.

Foundation staff members are available to help donors make gifts of cash, stock, retirement assets, life insurance, bequests, real estate and other types of gifts.

The Putnam County Community Foundation has been entrusted with more than 240 funds and endowments for donors, supporting a variety of charitable purposes. To learn how to start an endowment, persons may visit www.pcfoundation.org or contact the office at 653-4978.