By Bruce McKenzie

Do you ever notice as you drive through town certain things just sort of catch your attention? For some reason, good or bad, you happen to always look at these items. Maybe it’s a house which is in need of paint job, a playground needing spruced up, bumpy railroad tracks, or possibly the flavor of the week at the Dairy Queen? We all take note of various things in our community at different times, and that’s what makes our community what it is.

Something similar was happening to Ron Re many years ago. Ron used to drive around town quite a bit. In fact, he drove around town a lot! You see, that was his job. Ron had a “beat” in Tipp City for 36 years as a sergeant in the police department. Ron enjoyed Tipp City and love to talk to people who lived in and all-around our hometown. One such person Ron spoke with told him of something which “used to be” but was “no more”. This person showed Ron a picture of a billboard that once stood on the corner of Third and Main Street. This billboard listed the names of those from our community, who served the country in one of our military branches. But then one day, something happened…it was no longer there. It was gone, vanished, overnight, along with the names of the men and women who had sacrificially served with dignity and honor, with some paying the ultimate sacrifice for which we should all be grateful. This was upsetting to the community member and likewise Ron, but it simultaneously ignited a fire in Ron’s heart to do something. This something became his mission. That mission was to establish a memorial so those names of each individual would never be forgotten. It was important that those veterans became an embedded part of our community and the greater picture of our freedom we so often take for granted.

With Ron’s mind in motion and setting out to serve the veterans, he sought to find the perfect place for a memorial to honor every one of those individuals. Working with a small group of like-minded people and strong support and enthusiasm from the community, Ron went to the city. The city liked the idea and wanted to place this memorial in the park, a place where people might visit or congregate at various times of the year. However, Ron had different ideas. Drawing from his memory of the billboard photo shown to him and wanting this memorial to be forefront in the community, he sought a more prominent position. A place where people would take note and our veterans from years gone by would not to be overlooked ever again.

Enlisting help from his friend, ret. Colonel Mike Jackson, along with the likes of the VFW, the American Legion and other veterans’ groups, his proposed thought was a much better place, the corner of Hyatt and Main. This intersection is the central hub of activity for traffic and Ron’s idea is this is where it needs to be. Only one problem, the city owned the land and saw it as prime real estate. In fact, they were adamantly opposed of giving up this piece of soil. With solid support from the community and local businesses, the voices pressed the city for this parcel.  Through letters of persuasion, prodding from Ron and all involved, the city finally relented and agreed to relinquish this parcel of land from the city’s hold for the veteran’s memorial.

Now that things were in motion for a new memorial, a few issues needed addressed. For starters, funding, which always accompanies project of this nature, needed to be secured. To that, he enlisted the help of Kathy Taylor, to be treasurer in taking care of the books and records. Along with this came the assistance from the ladies at Community Services. It was then that the Veteran’s Memorial Fund was born. Next came design…what will this new veteran’s memorial look like? After speaking with many people and various businesses, the common theme were military flags to stand tall, all which were paid for through the many veteran committees. The brass eagle, which sits atop one of the flagpoles, was paid for and donated by our local Eagles chapter. With flag representing each branch of service, benches and bricks highlighting our towns veteran’s names, all of these put together seem to be foundations of a great park. And while Ron had the initial idea, it was through the assistance of the Brun’s company, which helped bring this memorial to fruition for the community to honor and respect those who served.

With a grand opening in the fall of 2004, a nasty day of rain kept the outside observance at bay. However, that didn’t stop the celebration in highlighting one of the city’s best endeavors. Moving inside to Broadway Elementary, a packed house of community leaders, neighbors, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, along with Ron’s fellow Grand Lodge Mason members, gathered to observe and show their appreciation of the memorial. While Ron felt he had brought his vision to life, he still felt something missing. It was then when he started speaking and raising monies for a statue. However, it wasn’t just any statue to grace the park. This statue imbued Ron’s idea of a young service man kneeling explaining to his daughter the names on each brick and not wanting those individuals to be forgotten. Today, this statute sits in the heart of the memorial and is based on one of Ron’s real-life Masonic brothers with his daughter next to him. With this statue, each brick with a service members name brings warmth to all those who cherish the meaning of this memorial park. Additionally, some might not realize that a time capsule has been buried in the eastern wall, which houses artifacts from the community during the time of construction. With benches for taking in the warm sun rays on a bright spring day, flowers which outline the walkway to the gazebo, to the outstretched flags saluting those who we honor, it’s the perfect place to reflect on our community and what we hold near and dear.

Fast forward to today, the Veteran’s Memorial Fund handled through the Tipp City Foundation, is still receiving donations from all around. The VFW of Troy continues to show its appreciation of this memorial through an on-going donation, helping make it a showcase of Tipp City. Bricks to honor a veteran are still available today through the City Offices and will be placed before Veterans Day. So, the next time you’re sitting at the light on Hyatt and Main, or you happen to be passing by the memorial, realize a lot of time and effort has been given to bring this to fruition. It’s with people like you and me that we continue this remembrance of our veterans and pass it forward to our family, friends, and neighbors. A thought which just so happened to cross Ron’s mind years ago. That should give us all something to think about.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:

• Donating online here.
• Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
• Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:

• Following us on Facebook or
• InstagramVisiting our
• WebsiteSending us an Email

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy. 

• Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
• Bronze Sponsors – Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
• Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
• Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!

By Nancy Bowman

Brukner Nature Center has a new way to promote its offerings thanks to the Tipp City Foundation.

A grant for $1,709 received in 2020 was used to buy materials to increase the nature center’s presence in surrounding communities through participation with a booth at public events, volunteer fairs and other activities.

Due to COVID-19 the materials were first used this year at a downtown Troy nonprofits night on the Public Square’s Prouty Plaza, said Deb Oexmann, executive director, Brukner Nature Center.

“We used the money to purchase a tablecloth, table runner with our logo, monitor with portable battery power to show videos, and a rolling tote to carry it all in,” Oexmann said

“We also used some of the funding to create some new videos to share not only at these events but also with our members, on our website and Facebook page.  Some funding was also used to create fun stickers to pass out at events to engage kids and their families,” she said.

The Brukner staff loves the new booth and materials although there hasn’t been a lot of time so far for public feedback, Oexmann said. The stickers already are a big hit with the children, she said.

The public relations campaign for Brukner Nature Center is an ongoing effort. “The more people who learn about us and our mission, the more memberships grow, the more wildlife myths are busted and the more friends and partners we create!” Oexmann said.

The center continues to be a popular destination. Its trails remained open during closings forced by COVID-19. The restrictions didn’t stop people from taking in the center’s outdoor offerings – Oexmann said a 20 percent increases in visitation was experienced in the past year and a half.

The center has been closed some this summer as its new driveway and parking lot project is underway. The areas are being paved with concrete. “I am so thankful for the support of our members, community foundations and our Board of Trustees.  This project was by no means the least expensive fix for our aging drive but it is by far the best environmentally friendly option,” she said.

Upcoming events at Brukner Nature Center include its annual fundraiser, The Art of Nature, scheduled for Oct. 3. An online auction is planned for members with some of the larger items available at the Oct. 3 auction.

Work on the annual Arts and Crafts Show on Dec. 3 is underway. Vendor applications are now being accepted. Everything offered at the show must be handmade or somehow related to nature, Oexmann said.

For more information on Brukner Nature Center, visit www.bruknernaturecener.com.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:

• Donating online here.
• Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
• Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:

• Following us on Facebook or
• InstagramVisiting our
• WebsiteSending us an Email

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy. 

• Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
• Bronze Sponsors – Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
• Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
• Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!

 By Nancy Bowman

Two equipment grants awarded by the Tipp City Foundation are helping Tipp City Emergency Services personnel work more safely and efficiency.

Cameron Haller, chief of Tipp City Emergency Services, said the grants requesting funding for new rescue helmets and thermal imaging cameras were written by department members and awarded this year by the foundation distribution committee.

The funding came from the Fire Safety First Fund created by former Fire Chief Steve Kessler.

A grant for $3,045 was used to purchase 25 KASK rescue helmets. The helmet is worn by rescuers and possibly the rescued following responses to events including water, ice and confined spaces rescues or structural collapses.

“When doing a technical rescue, it gives a lot more protection to the responder that is safer than the fire helmets,” Chief Haller said these helmets.

For example, if the personnel respond to a confined space incident, a rescue helmet is better because it is streamlined and fitted to the head. The fire helmets are bigger and awkward in a confined space.

The department previously had rescue helmets purchased in 2003. The old helmets were sized small, medium or large while the new helmets have a ratchet sizing system following a one-size fits most approach. “They are just as safe and now have high visibility in color and are reflective so if working at night, we will be able to pick out our folks a lot quicker,” Haller said.

Since he joined the department in 2019, Haller said it has had three water events, ice rescues and three different structural events, which involve mostly vehicles running into buildings.

With state safety standards, the life of these helmets is projected for 10 years. The previous helmets were in service 18 years. “Ironically, Chief Kessler approved buying the first round, and he paid for the second round (of helmets), too,” Haller said.

The second grant for $3,925 was to buy a thermal imaging camera used to search for victims inside a structure on fire or a missing person as well as sources of heat in a structure.

The cameras help firefighters “see” through the smoke by picking up temperature differences, Haller said. The camera was bought at the same time the department bought two new cameras, which helps make training and responses more efficient because all of the cameras work the same. “You can just grab the camera and go,” Haller said. 

The equipment purchased with the grants is important to the department, and the community, he said. “Our main focus is the safety of the potential victims but also the responders,” Haller said. 

The thermal imaging cameras also can help firefighters locate sources of heat such as a problem causing a heat smell, which often is an electrical issue in the wall. The cameras can help locate the problem area quicker and hopefully without tearing out a large portion of a wall to find the source, Haller said. “It saves time, making operations safer and more efficient.”

The grants were written by David Stockler, former assistant chief, and Lt. Doug Trent. Working with the foundation is beneficial to the department, and the community, Haller said.

“We appreciate the foundation and all of the people who contribute to all of the community projects to make Tipp City the best place we can make it,” he said.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:

• Donating online here.
• Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
• Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:

• Following us on Facebook or
• InstagramVisiting our
• WebsiteSending us an Email

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy. 

• Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
• Bronze Sponsors – Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
• Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
• Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!

Two active community members have joined the board of the Tipp City Foundation.

Richard Bender and Julie Taylor were welcomed to the board during its September meeting.

Bender is chief financial officer of the United Way of Miami County. 

Julie Taylor is a substitute clerk at the Tipp City Public Library and previously worked for 10 years as a medical technologist for CompuNet Clinical Laboratories. “My biggest and best job is mom!” Taylor said

Richard Bender 

Bender was born in Bryan, Ohio, and grew up in Edgerton, Ohio. After graduating from Edgerton High School, he graduated from Columbus Business University.

“After graduation I took a job with a finance company which transferred me to Troy and the rest is history!” he said. He moved to Miami County in 1976 and to Tipp City/ Monroe Township in 1982. 

Bender and his wife, Cheryl, have been married since 1989 and will observe their 32^nd anniversary in December.

“I consider Tipp my home. I’ve been involved in many aspects of the community. I enjoy  this community. There are so many people who contribute to making it great,” Bender said.

He served as branch manager of Beneficial Finance System in Troy from April 1976 to July 1982 before joining Star Bank, N.A., Troy, in roles including branch manager and consumer loan manager.

Bender worked at MainSource Bank, formerly known as Peoples Savings Bank, in Troy from November 1993 to September 2010 in roles including vice president/director of technology and market president.

He joined the United Way of Troy in September 2010, serving as executive director, until summer 2018 when the county United Ways merged into one organization known as the United Way of Miami County.

Serving on the Tipp City Foundation board will be a way to continue his involvement in the community, Bender said.

“I love working with nonprofit agencies and I’m looking forward to learning more about all the foundation does in the community,” he said.

Bender said he thinks his range of community involvement will help him as a foundation board member.

He is a member of Ginghamsburg Church, serving as a youth ministry leader since 1989; member of Troy and Tipp City Rotary clubs; and served on Habitat for Humanity, the Troy Area Chamber of Commerce and the Troy Dollars for Scholars Board. He served as a Future Begins Today lunch buddy from 1999 to 2020.

“I believe this diverse involvement gives me a broad knowledge of needs / services in the area. My career in banking and the United Way provide me with financial analysis skills and how the process of funding agencies works,” Bender said.

Julie Taylor

Taylor has lived in Tipp City for 22 years.

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., she has lived in New York, Colorado, Michigan and Ohio. She attended high school in Urbana and college at Bowling Green State University. Following college, she moved to Dayton and worked as a medical technologist. This is where she met her husband, Dan. He is a general surgeon with Miami County Surgeons.

The couple came to Tipp City after a search for a community in which to raise their children with quality schools, a community feel and still be close to grandparents.

Her community involvement began with the schools and her children. She was involved with P

ALS (Parents Actively Linked with the Schools) at Broadway Elementary and served as volunteer coordinator of the Broadway Fun Fair. Taylor also was a member of the Tippecanoe Athletic Boosters and with the Parents Who Care. She is a trustee on the Tippecanoe Educational Endowment. The family attends Christian Life Center where they have helped the Hands Against Hunger effort.

Taylor said she was interested in the Tipp City Foundation because she was raised in a family that encouraged service and volunteering.

 “I have followed their example. The Tipp City Foundation is a wonderful foundation that supports the local community,” she said.

“I consider myself the ‘worker bee.’ Tell me a project, what needs to be done and I will be there to help accomplish that goal. I will be continuing with the social media presence that the Foundation has by helping with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter”

The Taylors have been married 27 years. They have three children, 

Michael (24), Alex (22) and Katie (20). All attended Tipp City Schools. 

Today, Michael is a DPT with Steppin’ Up Physical Therapy in Fort Wayne, Alex will graduate in December from the University of Dayton in mechanical engineering and Katie is a junior at High Point University, N.C., majoring in interior design and participating in cross country and track.

Julie and Dan Taylor enjoy traveling, currently attending Katie’s cross country meets around the south.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:

• Donating online here.
• Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
• Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:

• Following us on Facebook or
• InstagramVisiting our
• WebsiteSending us an Email

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy. 

• Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
• Bronze Sponsors – Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
• Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
• Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!

The Tipp City Foundation hosted its annual donor reception earlier this month, an event to both thank and interact with those whose support is key to the foundation’s success.

“We are an all-volunteer organization, without paid staff or an office. We don’t have a visible way for the community to keep us on top of their mind,” said Heather Bailey of the Tipp City Foundation. 

“Saying ‘thank you’ in person each year gives us visibility with the people who sustain us. This gathering is often the only way to put a face to the names of the Bethel and Tipp City people who send us gifts each year,” she added.

The donor reception is held in different venues with the Staub Farm hosting this year’s event.

Among those donors are Susan and Patrick Langley.

Susan Langley said she thinks she first learned about the Tipp City Foundation through the former Tipp City Herald newspaper and from some friends who mentioned the foundation.

“We have always thought that giving to local organizations, as well as those with broader appeal, was extremely important. How better to see our donations at work than to have the control under those we know and trust!” Susan Langley said on behalf of herself and husband, Patrick.

“We are impressed by the range of funding chosen by the Foundation knowing that it affects so many individuals in our local communities,” Susan Langley said.

Mike Porto and his wife, Gail, have lived in Tipp City nearly 40 years, raising four children through the Tipp City schools.

“We have always felt like this was a true community and have tried to be good and active citizens,” Mike Porto said.

He was uncertain when or how they became aware of the foundation and its work. 

Gail and Mike Porto have supported the foundation for the past 10 to 15 years, he said.

“We give to the Tipp Foundation because we believe in its purpose.  We like the idea of supporting local interests and local people,” Mike Porto said. “We have a vested interest in making Tipp City the best place it can be because this is our home and our future.”

The importance of the donors to the foundation cannot be overstated, Bailey said.

Bob and Deb Keppel also learned about the foundation and its work through the local newspapers, initially the Tipp City Herald. 

“We have been impressed and grateful for the impact the Foundation has had on our community. We also have friends who have established funds within the foundation that support causes that are near and dear to our hearts,” they said.

The Keppels, who have supported the foundation for several years, said not a week goes by that they don’t think or say that they are grateful to live in Tipp City. Deb was not raised in Tipp City but has lived in the community for 44 years since marrying Bob.

“This is our home, and we want to see it grow and thrive. We are pleased to see the many types of worthy agencies that the Foundation supports – schools, arts, hunger relief, drug recovery programs – to name a few. We believe the Foundation does an excellent job of distributing the funds to deserving individuals and projects,” the Keppels said.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Tipp City Foundation is a member fund of The Troy Foundation. You can make a difference with your dollars in our community by:

• Donating online here.
• Making your check payable to the Tipp City Foundation and mail to P.O. Box 626, Tipp City, OH 45371.
• Setting up a fund or legacy plan by contacting Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

STAY CONNECTED
We’d love to stay in touch. Stay connected with the Tipp City Foundation by:

• Following us on Facebook or
• InstagramVisiting our
• WebsiteSending us an Email

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
All marketing activities of the Foundation is 100% underwritten by generous sponsors. Please contact us at info@tippfoundation.org for information on how your business or organization can become our partner in philanthropy. 

• Silver Sponsor – Thrivent Financial (Matt Buehrer)
• Bronze Sponsors – Advanced Machinery Companies; Dunaway Family Foundation; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Monroe Federal Savings and Loan; New Carlisle Federal Savings Bank; Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling; Unity National Bank
• Friend Sponsors – Captor Corp.; Edward Jones (Neil Nehring); Frings & Bayliff Funeral Home; Minster Bank; RSM US; Turnstone Financial; US Bank
• Media Sponsor – Tippecanoe Gazette

GOOD NEWS IS WORTH SHARING
Use the links below to share the TIPPing Point with friends and neighbors. Not a subscriber? Sign up here! If there is something you would like to see in future installments, please email news@tippfoundation.org. Your input is welcome and appreciated!