SIDNEY — “Community Foundation of Shelby County celebrated its 65th year by sponsoring the annual Economic Luncheon and Match Day,” reported Marian Spicer, executive director. “A record 21 new charitable funds were established.”
Her report continues:
The not-for-profit public foundation governs 178 charitable funds totaling nearly $32 million. Its role is to carry out the wishes of community members by administering charitable funds that provide grants and scholarships for purposes outlined by a fundís establishing donors. The Community Foundation is nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations.
Match Day was an effort to raise visibility and giving by offering a $65,000 match to 13 local charities on Nov. 28, known nationally as Giving Tuesday. Participating charities could receive a dollar for dollar match up to $5,000 for monies given in their name. Each charity exceeded the match amount and a total of $235,596 was raised and distributed. To participate, a charity needed to have an organization fund housed at the Community Foundation.
Several charitable funds were established last year.
• 4 Sons Family Foundation
• Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers Baseball/Softball Scholarship Fund
• Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers Family Foundation
• Douglas and Elizabeth Borchers University of Dayton Scholarship Fund
• Botkins Education Foundation General Fund
• Davis-Blackford Families Scholarship Fund
• Douglas and Jessica Fortkamp Family Foundation
• John S. and Julia K. Frantz Family Foundation
• Mark and Jacqueline Fullenkamp Family Foundation
• Betty Lee Riggs Hughes Nursing Scholarship Fund
• Emory and Nelda Koenig Family Scholarship Fund
• The Memory Fund
• Redskin Memorial Park Fund
• Kent R. Smith Fund
• Seven new Gift Accounts were opened last year.
Additionally, several local residents created charitable fund agreements that will establish new funds through their estates.
Gifts for these and other existing funds are welcome at any time and should be made payable to the Community Foundation of Shelby County with the fund name noted on the memo line. Credit card gifts may be made to any charitable fund by clicking the ëMake a Giftí button of the Foundationís website at www.commfoun.com.
Workshops on the Foundationís grants and investments were held during 2016. The Foundation also participated in a collaborative with other local foundations to provide estate and retirement planning seminars to local residents.
The 2018 Community Foundation officers are Mardie Milligan, chair; Doug Borchers, vice chair; Karen Fortman, secretary; and Cindy Helman, treasurer. Trustees are Mick Given, Rudy Keister, Dave Monnier, Norm Smith, Doug Stewart and Priscilla Wilt. Staff members include executive director Marian Spicer; donor relations director Jessica Fortkamp; accounting manager Jeanne Hoying, CPA; office assistant Sara Mitchell and accounting administrator Barbara Stueve.
In 2018, the Foundation will continue working with local residents wanting to give to charitable causes in the community. With a change in tax laws affecting deductions, the Foundation will focus on the usefulness of donor advised funds for those wanting to take advantage of deductions in certain years. Foundation staff and volunteers also hope to raise the awareness among potential donors of giving to existing charitable funds. For more information, please contact Jessica Fortkamp at 937-497-7800 or e-mail at [email protected].
