Wednesday, September 29, 2010

HOPE Foundation Awards McClurkin Community Grants

Front: Ami McClurkin and her mother, Gini Stuckey.
Back: Christy Prakel of the HOPE Foundation, Barbara Martin and
Kathy Kilgallon of Garst Museum, Verd Stuckey,
 HOPE board members Bill Baumann and Julie Boring.
Friends and family of Ami McClurkin gathered at the Brethren’s Retirement Community on Sept. 14 to honor her birthday and celebrate a legacy of community giving.

For the second year, McClurkin Community Grants were awarded to four organizations that are dedicated to enriching the lives of Darke County residents. Established in 2008 through the HOPE Foundation of Darke County, the Ami McClurkin Community Fund awards $5,000 in grants each year at the time of Ami’s birthday.

The 2010 recipients include Garst Museum, which will use its grant to sponsor lectures and special programs at the museum. The grant to Strides ‘n Stirrups Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center will help provide equipment for disabled riders. Council on Rural Services will use its money to foster volunteer opportunities for Darke County residents. The grant to Goodwill/Easter Seals will help the organization assess more children for special services that Easter Seals provides for developmental delays.

Ami’s parents, Verd and Gini Stuckey, and her sister and brother-in-law, Torri and Mike Brown, all of Greenville, felt that the grants are the perfect way to create a tribute to Ami and the community she loves. The family set up the fund in honor of Ami, who was severely injured in an automobile accident in 1985 and remains a quadriplegic.

“We are so grateful to these groups that do such wonderful work in our community,” said Gini. “We’re proud we can help in a little way,” she added.

This is the second HOPE fund established by Ami’s family. The first fund, set up in 2006, provides scholarships to Greenville H.S. graduates who have been involved in the GHS music program. Ami was an accomplished musician in high school and at Ohio Northern University. She still enjoys attending concerts and supporting Darke County productions.

Through the generosity of Ami and her family, non-profit organizations can continue to enrich the lives of Darke County residents for years to come. Any non-profit group serving Darke County is eligible for these grants. The applications are available in April each year by calling the HOPE Foundation at 548-4673.

The HOPE Foundation (Helping Other People Excel) is the Darke County Community Foundation. The Foundation assists donors in meeting their charitable objectives and helps non-profit organizations provide the services and programs so essential to our community.

1 comment:

  1. Such a wonderful tribute to Ami.
    Luv Ya Ami!

    Debbie

    ReplyDelete

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