Share the Dream contest to feature six local endowments

The Share the Dream Participants for 2013 are represented by (from left) Dean Gambill (Putnam County Community Foundation community development director), David Boswell (Greencastle High School Alumni Scholarship), Nancy Rosa (Habitat For Humanity of Putnam County), Tom Graffis (Morgan Beck Small Endowment for Learning Castle Preschool at First Christian Church), Lindsay Stegman (Purdue Club of Putnam County Scholarship) and Joe Martin (Bainbridge High School Alumni Scholarship).

The Putnam County Community Foundation's annual Share the Dream program is under way.

Six endowments have notified the Community Foundation that they intend to compete this year: Greencastle High School Alumni Scholarship, Purdue Club of Putnam County Scholarship, Bainbridge High School Alumni Scholarship, Morgan Beck Small Endowment for the Learning Castle Preschool at First Christian Church, and Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County.

An organization's endowment provides a reliable source of annual revenue, and is an important part of a diversified development plan for a nonprofit, church or instrumentality of government.

"Greencastle High School Alumni Association Scholarship, Purdue Club of Putnam County Scholarship, and Fillmore High School Alumni Association Scholarship are previous Share the Dream winners," Dean Gambill, community development director of the Putnam County Community Foundation, said. "But I think they will have stiff competition from Bainbridge High School Alumni, who created a brand new scholarship for North Putnam students at the end of last year."

Share the Dream began May 1 and continues until Aug. 31. Program winners will be announced in September.

The Community Foundation is offering three awards to Share the Dream winners this year: $1,000 for the endowment that raises the most money during the Share the Dream Program; $500 for the endowment that raises the most money via the Community Foundation's website at www.pcfoundation.org; and $500 for the endowment that has the most first-time donors.

The Putnam County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1985 to serve donors, award grants and provide leadership, enriching the quality of life and strengthening community in Putnam County. The Foundation administers 240 active funds and endowments for donors supporting a variety of charities.

To obtain additional information about Share the Dream or gift planning options, persons may contact the Foundation office at 653-4978 or visit www.pcfoundation.org.