Honor a volunteer with a Heart of Gold

It’s our favorite time of year! Heart of Gold nominations opened this week and we can’t wait to hear about the good things people are doing in LaGrange County. Since 2009, we’ve awarded the Heart of Gold award to honor individuals in LaGrange County who are making a difference through volunteerism.

Not only do we hear amazing stories of people spreading kindness and generosity, but the Heart of Gold recipient will have the opportunity to direct $1,000 to a charity of his/her choice in LaGrange County.

Nominations are being accepted through September 5, 2018. You can pick up a nomination form at the foundation office or make an online nomination here.

We’ll announce the Heart of Gold recipient at the award ceremony November 3 in Shipshewana. All of the nominees, along with a family member and the individual who made the nomination, will be invited to attend the breakfast.

Annual Meeting Held at Lakeside Occasions June 26

The LaGrange County Community Foundation celebrated a year of “Growing Good” in an intimate gathering with past and current board members and new funders at the 2018 annual meeting June 26 at Lakeside Occasions in Topeka.

The foundation was pleased to welcome new board member Renea Boots of LaGrange.

Boots has been with Farmers State Bank for 17 years and serves as the Chief Administration Officer. A graduate of Prairie Heights High School, she and her husband, Todd, live on the east side of LaGrange County.

In 2017, the foundation awarded $488,625 in grants of which $97,050 was awarded in scholarships and $78,610 was awarded in local funding requests.

“An important part of our mission is to inspire generosity in our community and that presents in many forms, not just financial.  We have so many amazing individuals in our community who serve as leaders, advisors and supporters and we would not be here without all of them,” said executive director Jennifer Tuttle.

Key developments in the past year included the launch of the Franky Sherman Memorial Building Fund to support a memorial pavilion at the LaGrange County 4-H Fairgrounds; the creation of the Natalie Kauffman Memorial Scholarship Fund and E. Marie Dwight Memorial Fund; and the continued growth as a Scholarship Granting Organization which currently holds funds for Howe Military Academy.

Keynote speaker James Benson, a retired Marine Corps officer and former superintendent of Howe Military Academy, addressed the topic of executive leadership to encourage all who have supported the LaGrange County Community Foundation to continue to be strong leaders.

In his address, Benson discussed the type of courage executives need to lead.

“Executive courage is the glue that connects decision making with success in the workplace and home. It is an element of leadership that permits a leader to accept measured risk, to make unpopular decisions, to challenge the odds, to create unhappy factions, and ignore and dismiss the foot draggers…” Benson said.

LCCF Youth Philanthropy Coordinator Laney Kratz also shared about the foundation’s commitment to developing youth leaders and how the foundation’s youth philanthropy program, LIFE, prepares youths for making critical decisions and encourages them to get involved in service.

Members of the LIFE program represent each of the three county public schools in grades 8-12, as well as Howe Military Academy.