LaGrange County Community Foundation named Erica Cook of Wolcottville the recipient of the 2020 Heart of Gold Award on October 16 with a surprise announcement.

Unlike in years past when the announcement was made at a special dinner celebration, the Heart of Gold Award was announced with an in-person surprise entourage and released to the public via video.   

Erica thinks of others before herself and is never afraid of any hard work, which may be a part of the process of being involved. She is continually looking for ways to make LaGrange County a better place.

Tami Maxey, nominator

A longtime volunteer, Cook is most recognized as a person serving individuals often providing basic needs and words of encouragement. Cook is often seen throughout the community volunteering in youth activities, events like Night to Shine, and fundraisers, like Kingdom Road Golf Outing. Cook, recently spearheaded Shine LaGrange, an online positivity campaign to bring awareness to businesses and nonprofits affected by COVID-19.  

Cook and her husband, Peter, own and operate, Cook’s Bison Ranch. Cook has served as a guardian for children in need, serves at the LaGrange Church of God, and is a past board member of the LaGrange County Chamber of Commerce. Cook established the nonprofit, Kingdom Road Project, Inc., whose mission is to spread the love of Christ to those in need through charitable giving and support of Christian ministries throughout the world.

The Community Foundation received five nominations for the eleventh annual award. The 2020 nominees included Brittany Cowley of LaGrange, Larry Miller of Wolcottville, Stan Clark of Wolcottville, and Terry Andrews of Howe. Click here to read more about each outstanding nominee.

In honor of the nominees, the Community Foundation will provide matching gifts (up to $500) to five select funds, through October 31.

After delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, renovation at our new facility has now started. Lehman Construction of Shipshewana will complete the project.

The project will feature a new addition, increased parking space, and complete renovation of the building’s office and lobby space. The project is on target to be completed by the end of 2020. The Community Foundation anticipates moving into the new facility in mid-January of next year.

The facility will contain 3,000 square feet of office space, including an 800-square foot community room available for nonprofit use. The community room will be equipped with multi-media technology and will seat 30 people comfortably and provide space to host small gatherings and meetings. The community room will be available free of charge to local nonprofits and civic groups.

We are excited to provide a community space for our nonprofits. The addition will be an asset to the community, handicap accessible, and provide a gathering space for our community.

Octavia Yoder, Executive Director

The Community Foundation had been setting aside funds for several years, which allowed the organization to purchase the property using available cash – no mortgage was required. A portion of the cost of the building was funded using a gift the Foundation received at the beginning of 2019.

Greater visibility, lower long-term costs and enhanced accessibility were the deciding factors in the move.

It is important to the Foundation to honor those who have been a vital part of it, it is because of their dedication we are able to fulfill our mission. The new headquarters will be a beacon for LaGrange County not just today but well beyond into the future.

Neal Wolheter, Board President

The new facility is on track to be open February of 2021.

If you’d like to support the Community Foundation, donate to the LCCF Operating Endowment.

A mere three months ago the most interaction I had with the LaGrange County Community Foundation was applying for scholarships online. Fast forward to now, I have gotten to know the amazing women behind the scenes, how much work they put into everything they do; they make it look a lot easier than it is.

Over the last two and a half months, I have been introduced to new people, concepts, and opportunities. I felt like my job was actually important, unlike other internship horror stories I have heard. I was entrusted with some larger projects, which at first seemed daunting, but ended up working out great and really helped me connect to the Foundation and some members of the community.

I really have felt like an important member of the team.
I never knew how much the Foundation really did; pieces of it are weaved into areas I would have never expected, like the Parks Department or the Hawpatch Trail. I did not realize the magnitude of help that the Foundation was capable of providing. In some instances, pieces the community would fall apart without the support of the Foundation to keep it going.

I have a newfound love and support for our community and its members. I also have a greater understanding of how things work at a nonprofit, which is making me rethink my future goals.

Overall, I have enjoyed my time here. As it comes to a close, I want to thank Leanna, Octavia, and Laurie for their wisdom and skills they have shared this summer and the members of the community who helped me realize the amount of love there is for this county.

The LaGrange County Community Foundation awarded Community Impact Grants totaling $45,940 in June to 11 projects and programs benefiting LaGrange County.

Through Community Impact Grants, the foundation aims to support nonprofit needs and provide innovative programs and services in LaGrange County.

Veterans Headstone Project was among the 11 organizations that received funding. The Community Foundation awarded Veterans Headstone Project $6,015 for the American Flag Holder Program – World War II, a project that identifies and repairs or replaces American flag holders. The grant will support the replacement or repair of 274 veteran’s gravesite flag holders.

The LaGrange County Historical Society also received a $5,000 matching grant to support the preservation of a stained glass window at the LaGrange County Historical Museum. Founded in 1967, the Historical Society maintains a collection of LaGrange County history at 109 South High Street in LaGrange. The grant will support the removal of a stained glass window on the south side of the building.  The next stage is to repair and reinstall the window. Kokomo Glass originally installed the stained glass windows in 1909.

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 made recommendations to the Board of the Directors who approve the grant awards. The grants are made possible through the generosity of donors who have supported the unrestricted and field of interest charitable funds at the Community Foundation. 

The 2020 Community Impact Grant Spring awards include:

• Kate’s Kart, Kate’s Kart Book Distribution at Parkview LaGrange Hospital, $2,500
• Science Central, Science Central Study Trips & Outreach Programming, $5,500
• Junior Achievement of LaGrange County, Junior Achievement Programming, $5,000
• Veterans Headstone Project, American Flag Holder Program, $6,015
• Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Client Advocate and Client Services, $3,500
• WNIT, Education Counts Michiana, $5,000
• Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House, Providing LaGrange Families Hope, $5,000
• McMillen Health, Preventative Health Education, $2,500
• Brethren Retreat Ministries, AED and Training, $1,125
• Agape Child Care Ministry, Agape Room Dividers, $4,800
• LaGrange County Historical Society, Window Preservation, $5,000

In 2020, applications for the fall Community Impact Grants will be accepted on Sept. 3. Click here to learn more.

The LaGrange County Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire and sustain generosity, leadership and service. Founded in 1991, the Community Foundation connects people to charitable causes and provides resources to nonprofits to make a lasting and sustainable impact.

We have partnered with the LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau to bring “Make It Your Own Mural Fest,” a regional mural festival that will bring 11 new murals to 11 counties of Northeast Indiana this September to LaGrange!

From now till July 11 we need your help in raising $3,000 to support a mural right here in LaGrange. 3Rivers Federal Credit Union will match every gift made through the campaign dollar for dollar (up to $1,500).

Click here to Give Now – Be sure to Choose LaGrange County

The Make It Your Own Mural Fest will take place over 11 days, September 11-18, 2020.

We are super excited to see this wall come alive with art!

We are extremely excited to have Kane Elkins and Shelbi Smith as our summer interns this year.

Kane Elkins graduated from Prairie Heights and is currently pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington. He will be aiding in our Internal Audit and updating our database.

Working at the Community Foundation is an amazing way for me to give back to the community that has shaped my life so far. Making a difference/impact on the people around me, whether they be strangers or friends, is an important aspect of my life that I am always chasing.

Kane Elkins

Kane enjoys reading and helping his twin brother race at Angola Motorsport Speedway every Saturday night, #28.

Shelbi Smith, was born and raised in Shipshewana and graduated from Westview Jr./Sr. High School. Currently, she attends Grace College in Winona Lake, IN, pursuing a double major in Facility and Event Management and Marketing. Shelbi will be assisting with marketing and collecting donor biographies.

Working with the Foundation is really exciting because I will be able to put what I am learning to good use, all while continuing to learn and grow within my community.

Shelbi Smith

Shelbi enjoys road-tripping, finding unique coffee shops, and spending time with people she cares about.  

We are fortuitous to have these talented young adults living and working within our community!

Feel free to drop Kane or Shelbi an email. You may reach Kane at kelkins@lccf.net or Shelbi at ssmith@lccf.net.

The Friends of Lagrange County Parks was awarded $2,785 from the 2020 NIPSCO Environmental Action grants through NISource Charitable. The Friends of the LaGrange County Parks is a partner of the LaGrange County Community Foundation.

The announcement was made to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day.  The support from this grant will enable the Friends of LaGrange County Parks working with the LaGrange County Parks Department and their Interpretive Naturalist to offer a water quality testing initiative available to all public, private, and parochial schools, as well as homeschool groups.  

The primary goal for this field trip opportunity is to get students outside, using their hands, sensing different ecosystems, and exercising their muscles by visiting Pine Knob Park, which has forest, lake, wetland, and prairie ecosystems all accessible by trail.  This is the ideal location for students to learn about the importance of and the differences of these ecosystems. 

Students can touch and smell and hear their surroundings.  They can connect to these ecosystems personally. 

The field trip will be divided into three rotations: wetland aquatic life study, water quality testing of Meteer Lake, and a prairie hike.  Students will get to use dip nets and look for macroinvertebrates as a sign of the healthiness of our wetland, test Meteer Lake for turbidity, and dissolved oxygen to determine what can or cannot live in the water, and learn about restoration and conservation by visiting the prairies.  They will learn about endangered species living in the special fen and test the water for pH to compare with Meteer Lake.  This will be a hands-on, adventuresome field trip offered in the spring or fall school year, with the initial start-up costs being funded through this grant. 

Students will gain an appreciation for the natural resources in LaGrange County, and gain a desire to care for them.

Leslie Arnold, LaGrange County Naturalist

The grant enables the Friends to purchase water quality testing equipment, eight canoes, paddles, and life jackets for use by students, assisted by their teachers and the Park Naturalist when visiting Pine Knob Park. 

Thank you also to Trading Post Outfitters of Mongo for assistance in purchasing the canoes.