Gather. Grow. Give. For Good. August 2017

Promise Launches in Porter County

“Raising the educational attainment rate of our community has benefits on many levels. The Foundation is honored to play a role in this great program.”

Bill Higbie, Bill Higbie visits with students at Hebron Elementary School. These kids will be among the first Foundation President and CEO group eligible to participate in the new Promise Porter County College Choice 529 Savings Plan.

he Porter County Community families to add money to their account Promise Porter County has also Foundation and the Valparaiso to qualify for an additional $25 match partnered with Valparaiso University Family YMCA recently from a pool of community funders. to host all of the county’s first Tannounced that Porter County has graders for a campus visit day. They’ll been selected by Promise Indiana “This is truly a community approach spend some time interacting with as one of four counties eligible to to helping our families not only start students and staff, further building launch The Promise this year, bringing saving for college but to start thinking their excitement and an identity as the total number of counties in the very early about the importance of someone who goes to college. program to eighteen. continuing education beyond high school,” said Bill Higbie, President & “Raising the educational attainment Targeting first-grade students in CEO of the Porter County Community rate of our community has benefits all seven Porter County school Foundation. on many levels. The Foundation is corporations, Promise Porter County honored to play a role in this great will offer an opportunity for every Research shows that kids who program,” Higbie said. family with a first grader to establish a have a 529 savings account are College Choice 529 Savings Plan, with three times more likely to go to MAKE A CONTRIBUTION the initial contribution of $25 being college and four times more likely To make a contribution to the made by Urschel Laboratories. In the to graduate. In addition, they do Promise Porter County community spring of next school year, Promise better academically and experience match pool, or for more information Porter County will host a “Champion” expanded educational and economic about the program, contact the period, encouraging students and opportunities. Foundation at 219.465.0294. Congratulating Graduates! Foundation Awards 332 Scholarships since 1998

As one chapter comes to a close, a new one is just beginning for the 27 talented high school seniors recognized at the Porter County Community Foundation’s Annual Scholarship Banquet. The scholarships awarded this year were:

Tom & Georgia Bricker Scholarship Harlan A. Siegesmund Liberty Township Alumni Scholarship Georgia Bricker established a scholarship in memory of her husband, Tom, who passed away in 2006. This The Harlan A. Siegesmund Liberty Township Alumni year’s recipient is Abigail Street (), Scholarship was established by the Class of 1958 to honor pictured here with Georgia Bricker. their longtime principal. The scholarship is presented to a graduate of with a preference given to residents of Liberty Township. This year’s recipient is Lindsey Burgess (Chesterton High School) pictured here with Ed Seykowski, a member of the class, who was instrumental in creating this scholarship.

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships

The Porter County Community Foundation has awarded 79 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships to Porter County students since 1998, totaling more than $4 million. The scholarship pays full tuition and fees to any Porter County Community Foundation college or university in the state of Indiana and $900 Scholarships each year for books. The 2017 recipients are: (left to right) Sam Soucie (Washington Township High School), Understanding the importance of education, the Elizabeth Palmer (Kouts High School), and Robert Kreloff Porter County Community Foundation provides $4,000 (Valparaiso High School). scholarships for Porter County students each year. This year’s recipients are: (left to right) Jordan Powell (Andrean High School), Sonny Hammonds (Chesterton High School), and Keiggan Lange (Boone Grove High School).

Shawn Moyer Memorial Scholarship

Shawn Moyer was a 1999 recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. During his sophomore year at Taylor University, Shawn lost his battle with cancer. The remaining balance of his scholarship was endowed to create this award for Kouts High School graduates. This year’s recipient, Kyla Roney (Kouts High School), was unable to attend the banquet. Porter County Career & Technical Education Center Scholarships

Since 2008, the Foundation has worked with the Porter County Career and Technical Education Center to award scholarships to students. The recipients for 2017 are: (left to right) Abigail Street, Brieana Kraus, Amber Rardin, Emmalee Deardurff, Alexus Reyes, Jon Groth (Director of the Porter County Career and Technical Education Center), Alexis Farnum, Jordyn Windsor, Kyle Wolfe, and Kyle Stowers.

NIPSCO Sponsored Scholarships

NIPSCO has partnered with the Foundation for the past 15years to provide $1,000 scholarships to Porter County students. This year’s recipients are: (left to right) Nicole Pomeroy (Michigan City High School), Kadie Spoor (Wheeler High School), Andrew Briggs (Hebron High School), Samantha Haywood (), and Sofia Serrano (Portage High School). Not pictured are: Emily Lazarek (Marquette Catholic High School), Marybeth Scheibel (Valparaiso High School), Anastasia Miller (Chesterton High School), and Caitlin Clute (Morgan Township High School).

Kim Abbett Joe Jaskowiak Desila Rosetti Community Volunteer Hoeppner, Wagner & Evans Organizational Development Solutions Andrew Arnold Stephanie Jones Precision Control Systems Cisco Systems Gregory Sobkowski Hodges & Davis BILL HIGBIE Jan Barsophy Susan Kelly-Johnson President & CEO HealthCare Management, LLC Attorney at Law Jacki Stutzman Community Volunteer BRENDA SHEETZ Rick Calinski Geoff Laciak Vice President NIPSCO Laciak Accountancy Group Spero Valavanis Design Organization ERYN LEONHARD Stephanie Gerdes Jon Leetz Communications Centier Bank Indiana Beverage Matt Vessely 1st Source Bank & Marketing Coordinator Minakshi Ghuman Stephen Lunn REMAX Pace Realty Porter Health System John Walsh KIM KILANDER Heat Wagon Administrative Assistant Carol Hall William P. Maar Berglund Construction Thrivent Financial KATHLEEN KOENIG Receptionist John Hannon Kent Mishler Great Lakes Engineering Horizon Bank David Hollenbeck Ralph Neff T: 219-465-0294 E: [email protected] W: www.pccf.gives Blachly Tabor Bozik & Hartman Mechanical Concepts, Inc. Non Profit US Postage PAID Permit 185 Valparaiso IN

1401 Calumet Avenue • Valparaiso, IN 46383

CELEBRATING Outstanding Achievements

The Outstanding Achievement Award recipients - (left to right) Tim Rice, Outstanding Volunteer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County; Dorota Janik, Outstanding Nonprofit Staff Member, Reins of Life; Sue Lynch, Outstanding Nonprofit Agency, Portage Township Live Entertainment Association; Margaret Williford, Outstanding Volunteer, Shirley Heinze Land Trust; and Ryan Smiley, Outstanding Nonprofit Agency, Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County - pictured at the Porter County Community Foundation’s 2017 Annual Meeting.

he Porter County Community Foundation’s Annual OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER: Meeting and Celebration of Achievement is a ~ Margaret Williford, Shirley Heinze Land Trust special way to celebrate and thank the individuals, ~ Timothy Rice, Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County Tcommunity partners, and nonprofits who work so hard each and every day to better our community. The awards for 2017 Each winner receives an engraved award recognizing were presented to the following recipients: their accomplishment, a signed copy of the book “The Giving Challenge” by Kouts resident and Foundation OUTSTANDING NONPROFIT STAFF MEMBER: Board member, Stephanie Jones, as well as a $1,000 ~ Dorota Janik, Executive Director at Reins of Life contribution to the organization’s endowment fund with the Foundation. OUTSTANDING NONPROFIT AGENCY: ~ The Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County ~ Portage Township Live Entertainment Association

Join us for the 3rd annual Chefs Around the Table Fundraiser. All proceeds from the event support programs aimed at building strong families and preventing substance abuse in Porter County. The event consists of over 75 gentlemen chefs from around the SAVE community cooking up their favorite dish for guests to taste. The event is held at the Porter County Expo Center and will take THE place this year on Thursday, October 12th. To support the cause and attend the event, tickets may be purchased online at www.chefsaroundthetable2017.eventbrite.com. DATE!