As the LaGrange County Community Foundation’s Marketing Intern, I have been working on fund biographies, putting together the 2020 annual report, the summer newsletter, an intern onboarding packet, and other marketing day-to-day needs.

I have been really enjoying gathering information for the annual report. This year’s report is very special because it is the community foundation’s 30th year anniversary. I have been looking at a lot of the history of the community foundation and that has been my favorite part thus far. I have learned a lot about how the Community Foundation was started and who was there from the beginning.

I think it is super cool learning about the history of the LaGrange Community Foundation especially finding out that my grandma was on a committee back in 1995. 

submitted by Lydia Johnston

The LaGrange County Community Foundation awarded $65,000 in Community Impact Grants to 12 projects and programs benefiting LaGrange County.

Through its Community Impact Grants program, the Foundation aims to support nonprofit needs and provide innovative programs and services in LaGrange County. The 2021 Community Impact Grant spring awards include:

• Veterans Headstone Project, American Flag Holder Program 19th-21st Century Military Service Project, $3,500;
• Lagrange County Habitat for Humanity, A Brush With Kindness, $10,000;
• Science Central, Science 4U Outreach, Interactive Video Conferencing Programs and study trips, $5,000;
• McMillen Health, Preventive health education for LaGrange County youth, $5,000;
• Agape Child Care Ministry, Professional development and classroom materials, $2,500;
• Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, Meat the Need, $1,500;
• LaGrange County Miracle Tree, Stock the Storage, $2,000;
• The Farm Place, Inc., Animal companionship supervised visitation center, $20,000;
• Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Indiana-Kentucky, Hands-free drinking water fountain, $2,000;
• Brightpoint, Covering Kids and Families of Brightpoint, $5,000;
• Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope  House, Overnight accommodations for LaGrange families, $5,000; and
• Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Client Advocate and Client Services Program for LaGrange County, $3,500.

We will use this generous grant toward the construction of the Animal Companionship Center. Thank you again, we are so very appreciative! Keith James, board member

Each year, the Community Foundation accepts proposals for charitable projects and programs that help local nonprofit organizations provide services to LaGrange County families and individuals. The Grants Advisory Committee reviews the submitted grant applications and makes recommendations to the Board of the Directors who approve the grant awards. For more information on the Community Impact Grant cycle or to apply click here. The Caring Community Fund supports the Community Impact Grants to make a donation click here.

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Community Scholarship Program, which aims to support the educational aspirations of students in LaGrange County.

Eightteen graduating seniors will receive $77,000 in scholarships.

The Community Scholarship Program is open to graduating high school seniors who are pursuing higher education at an accredited university, college or trade school. The program has grown to include 45 donor-created scholarship funds, eachi with thier own unique criteria. Funds are started by individuals, families and businesses and are managed by the Community Foundation.

We look forward to awarding scholarships to high school seniors each year, and it’s exciting to be making these awards in person again. These scholarships recognize the accomplishments the students have achieved in the last four years.

Executive Director, Octavia Yoder

2021 scholarship recipients, listed by schools, are as follows:

Lakeland Jr. Sr. High School scholarship recipients:

• Catelyn McNamara – Wolcott Mills Bulldog Boosters Scholarship;
• Elizabeth Jennings – Ray & Ruth Culp Memorial Scholarship, Bruce Brown Memorial Scholarship;
• Madison Keil – HOPE Nursing Scholarship, Lakeland Scholarship, Judy Gage-Keenan Memorial Scholarship, Olivia Bay Lemings Memorial Scholarship, Paul & Marian Krebs Scholarship, Virgil & Florence Hardin Memorial Scholarship; and
• Tatum Retterbush – Schlemmer Scholarship, Waddell Memorial Scholarship.

Prairie Heights High School scholarship recipients:

• Abigail Hantz – Craig D. & Ronda Neff Memorial Scholarship, Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship, Kevin Lewis Purdue Ag Scholarship, Ned Stump Memorial Scholarship;
• Amelia Johnston – Craig D. & Ronda Neff Memorial Scholarship, Holly Petersen Memorial Science Scholarship, Joseph Willard Memorial Scholarship, Melvin & Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship, Prairie Heights Scholarship, Lambright Leadership Scholarship;
• Collin Keeslar – Ellsworth Fanning Memorial Scholarship, LaGrange County Farm Bureau Co-Op Scholarship, Stan Anderson Memorial Golf Scholarship;
• Haylee Henderson – Holly Petersen Memorial Science Scholarship, Prairie Heights Scholarship;
• Kiana Allshouse – Peggy Messer Memorial Scholarship;
• Madelyn Wylie – Amanda Lou Crotts Memorial Scholarship, Beverly Todd Memorial Scholarship, Perkins Family Scholarship, Prairie Heights Band Scholarship, Prairie Heights Scholarship; and
• Raegan Moore – Prairie Heights Scholarship.

Westview Jr. Sr. High School scholarship recipients:

• Alexis Miller – Kerry Wilt-Spradlin Memorial Scholarship, Lambright Leadership Scholarship;
• Ava Miller – Allread-Rife Scholarship, Morgan Hunter Memorial Scholarship;
• Hallie Mast – Lambright Leadership Scholarship;
• Nicole Miller – Allread-Rife Scholarship, Farmwald Scholarship, James F. Kalb Memorial Scholarship, Keith & Arline Davis Memorial Scholarship, Melvin & Marjorie Bricker Memorial Scholarship;
• Nicole Stutzman – Rheinheimer Scholarship;
• Timothy Brandenberger – Rheinheimer Scholarship; and
• William Clark – LIFE Scholarship, Lyle Smith Scholarship, Lambright Leadership Scholarship.

If you would like to donate to the Community Scholarship Program: