Last week, one of the Foundation Board members and I volunteered for an event produced by our colleagues at United Way of Madison County. The job description for the volunteer post at Blast Off to Kindergarten had only one requirement: 'Must want to have fun!". We felt qualified.

Following a visit with Jeanne Smith and her nine children, another young mother marveled at the skillful management of the household. “Jeanne possessed skills to make family life run like clockwork,” observed her friend; “all the children sat, well-mannered and well-organized, peacefully and politely having their lunch.” A full calendar of school activities and sporting events filled the days and the years, reinforcing the value of education and community. After seeing nine children through college graduation, Jeanne and her husband, former childhood sweethearts, travelled extensively, cheered their favorite teams, volunteered, and supported many charitable causes. After 86 years of life well lived, Jeanne Smith passed away during the summer of 2015.

“A guiding philosophy in my mother’s life was the belief that each of us is created to make a difference in the lives of others. That’s the spirit I want to honor with this gift,” remarked Mary Anne Vonderschmitt when she established a fund in her mother’s memory at the South Madison Community Foundation.

We've all heard the phrase "pay it forward." The philosophy behind this simple phrase is that acts of kindness, no matter how small, when strung together and multiplied by millions of people can literally change the world for the better. George Mingle and his wife, Nelle, were shining examples of this philosophy. George was involved in his community. He was deeply involved in his church, was enlisted in the Navy Reserves, was an active member of the Masonic Lodge and the Shrine Club, and was involved in neighborhood watch and rural youth development. He fed the ducks at Falls Park and visited with friends to talk about their gardens.

Story the gerbil was a furry friend who made her home in a glass tank in the children’s area of the Pendleton Community Library. Story came to the library a little two and a half years ago and quickly became a treasured member of the library community. Sadly, Story crossed the rainbow bridge a few weeks ago. Story’s legacy consists of the beautiful memories she helped patrons of the library create during their visits and the lessons she taught in her steady, unassuming, nonjudgmental way.

“We’re not just teaching you ‘How to swim,’ we’re teaching you ‘How NOT to drown.” The lifeguard’s introduction to new students at Brown Pool in Pendleton is a powerful reality check for children and their guardians, underscoring the importance of Dive In To Swim.

Dive In To Swim helps children ages 4-13 experience the joy of being in the water while learning tips and techniques to save themselves and others from tragedy. Techniques like how to turn on to your back to rest and how to safely reach for someone in the water when you’re trying to rescue them. Tips like not swimming alone or not jumping into a body of water unless you know how deep the water really is.

The South Madison Community Arts Fund is a project of the children of Robert and Vinetta Wills, in honor of their parents. Through the fund, financial awards are given each year to the winners of art contests, the “South Madison Visual Arts Exhibit” and “Arts in the Park.”
Brenda Wills, one of Robert and Vinetta’s children, attended the 2017 Visual Arts Exhibit, where she spoke about her parents, the inspiration for the creation of the South Madison Community Arts Fund.