There are times in life when you realize that some people just seem to be plain lucky. It’s not that they win the lottery every other week, or are recognized for some great feat, but rather that from all appearances, there is just something uniquely special about how things work out for them. Frank Scenna and Heather Bailey seem to fit in that category.

For evidence of that, consider their nuptials. Heather and Frank were married on Friday, October 13, in a surprise wedding at the Willowtree Inn, just west of town. The twist was that the celebration took place at a party they themed "Get Lucky with Frank & Heather," and their party guests were completely unaware that they were actually wedding guests—and that the party would include a marriage ceremony! What a day to truly be remembered, as Heather and Frank remark that it was “one of the very best days of our lives.” There’s just some special luck in that.

With deep roots in the area, Heather’s family goes way back, with parts of her family having resided in the area we now call Tipp City since 1813. And while Frank is a relative newcomer to the area, moving here in 2004, he now also proudly calls this place home. Both desire to make sure that the community and region in which they live continues to grow in a positive direction, as Tipp City long has.

With that desire in mind, Frank and Heather focused on establishing charitable funds. With Heather’s father a tax and estate planner, both Heather and Frank recognized the need to make sure that their efforts would grow not only now, but well past their lifetime. To that end, in 2009 they established the Urban Stewardship Fund to do just that. Used as a long-term estate planning tool, this fund improves buildings in downtown Tipp City.

Thinking back to their wedding when searching for a name, Frank and Heather opened an additional fund called Lucky 13 more recently, in 2019. This fund helps community organizations by allowing Frank and Heather to donate stock into the fund without realizing any capital gains on the appreciation of the stock. This means that the full value of the stock is available for Heather and Frank to provide to charity.

As a donor-advised fund, Frank and Heather are also lucky to be able to direct their charitable support to institutions and groups who share their ideals and passions, from Glen Helen Nature Preserve to Brunner Literacy Center and many others, such as WYSO, the Dayton Art Institute, Ohio’s Hospice, Child Care Choices, Think TV, the League of Women Voters…. The list is endless, with all beneficiaries sharing ideals close to Frank and Heather.

By working with the Tipp City Foundation, everyone—Frank and Heather, charitable organizations, and local residents and the community—prospers, especially when endowments are built to last well into the future. To me, that sounds like a community which is “lucky” to have people like Frank and Heather. And as for Heather and Frank, well, it pays to be lucky.

By Nancy Bowman

It’s no secret that being a parent – biological or in a foster role – can be a challenge.

At Isaiah’s Place foster agency, a new retention and recruitment program introduced during the past year to help deal with challenges appears to be having positive results.

First paid for using a grant offered to agencies by the state, the program focuses on bringing foster families together for fun activities and events. Those activities, in turn, give the foster families an opportunity to talk with those who may be facing similar challenges with the children trusted to their care.

When the state funding ended after one year, Isaiah’s Place looked to those locally who have provided support before, including foundations, said Robby Lybarger, Isaiah’s Place operations director.

The response included a $2,000 grant this summer from the Tipp City Foundation and other grants approved or pending.

“We really saw the value in having these events for our families, so we were seeking support from our local foundations to be able to continue,” Lybarger said.

The families provided “a lot” of positive feedback on the program, he said. “I would say the main thing the families appreciated was having space to get together with other foster families to network, problem solve together.”

Each month, space is rented for activities such as a cookout, pool party or a pizza party. Upcoming activities will include a program through Brukner Nature Center and a holiday event.

“I think it is comfortable for parents to know others there in a similar situation, often where children may have outbursts” or other behaviors, Lybarger said.

“The kids get to run around and have fun and the parents have time to talk” about resources and other solutions, he said. Attendance often is 80 to 100 people including foster parents, foster children and biological children.

Foster parents provide a vital service, Lybarger said. Many left during the pandemic but retention has improved. The national average is around 50 percent of foster parents stopping participation after the first year. Common reasons cited include feeling alone and not having the support network they need.

Isaiah’s Place has 61 licensed homes, most within a one-hour radius and around 60 foster children, according to Lybarger. The parents range in age from their early 20s to their 60s.

The Isaiah’s Place website at www.isaiahsplace.com has details on how to become a foster parent. Those interested also are invited to attend in-person trainings or to stop by the agency office on South Stanfield Road, Troy, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Thank you to the foundation. In all areas of our operations, it seems unique to me that in this county we have so many local funders such as the Tipp City Foundation. We have been really blessed to get a lot of support,” Lybarger said.

- Hidden Picture Puzzles by Liz Ball Fund makes first award

Several grants awarded by the Tipp City Foundation in September touched the areas of dexterity and eye-hand coordination. “Requests that involve creative expression are not uncommon, but the specific focus on fine motor skills has been less typical in the foundation’s 80-year history,” said Jim Ranft, president.

One of those dexterity-focused grants supports the Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development. Located in Piqua, their service area includes Miami and surrounding counties. Their therapeutic approach to brain trauma or mental disability is to retrain neuron pathways. Individually designed, neurology-based exercises, result in improved function for clients.

Ultimately, nine organizations received 10 awards totaling $24,016.40.

The following is a list of recipients, award levels and the impact these grants will make. Any additional support that donor advisors gave through their grantmaking is included.

ARTS & CULTURE

Downtown Tipp City Partnership, $5,588, shouts out upcoming 2024 city-wide community activities through the printing and mailing of event cards to all homes in 45371.  These cards are regularly posted on refrigerators as a reminder of fun things coming up.

Rehabilitation Center for Neurological Development, $614.93, expands the tools available for Body & Brain Integration therapy sessions. Treatment can improve fine and gross motor skills, balance and coordination, speech, and mobility. This is the first award from the Hidden Picture Puzzles by Liz Ball Fund. Additional support came from the Robinson-Walters Family Fund.

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $3,624.75, replaces the aging cyclorama in the high school center for performing arts. Also known as a “cyc,” this is the large piece of light-reflecting fabric that hangs at the back of the stage.

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,000, brings a Warhammer gaming club to the high school by purchasing starter sets. Students build models, paint figurines, develop strategies and build social skills in the club.

Tipp City Public Library, $1,154.18, doubles the number of machines for the monthly teen sewing class. Sewing promotes dexterity, confidence, patience and creativity.

HEALTH & SAFETY

New Creations Counseling Center, Inc., $6,000, assists with counseling and psychological services for those with financial need.

Ohio’s Hospice of Miami County, $1,746.06, aids Hospice House’s patients’ visitors through the purchase of an AED.

RECREATION

Tipp City Parks Department, $788.48, purchases signage for Chamberlain’s Pond. Awarded from the Warren E. Miltenberger Parkland Fund.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Family Abuse Shelter of Miami County, Inc., $2,500, purchases food, paper goods and cleaning supplies needed for sheltering victims of domestic violence and homelessness. Additional support from Robinson-Walters Family Fund advisors rounds out this request for a total of $3,000.

Isaiah’s Place, Inc., $1,000, smooths the transition for children entering foster care through the purchase of Care Bags. Bags include weighted blankets, weighted stuffed animals and sound machines; each can soothe and sustain sleep while calming stress.

Quarterly grant deadlines are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15 each year. Jim Ranft is available for your grant-related questions at 937-528-2482. Applications are available online at www.tippfoundation.org.

Members of the Foundation are Heather Bailey, Richard Bender, vice president, Bryan Blake, Mary Bowman, Diana Featherstone, treasurer, Dee Gillis, Joellen Heatherly, Bruce McKenzie, Glen McMurry, Patrick Reese, Jim Ranft, president and distribution chair, Julie Taylor, Jackie Wahl, and Bill Wendel, secretary.

The Tipp City Foundation is a component fund of The Troy Foundation. If you would like information about how to make a tax-deductible contribution or how to establish an endowment fund, please contact Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

For more information visit www.tippfoundation.org or Tipp Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.

By Nancy Bowman

The Tipp City Foundation has welcomed Bryan Blake and Glen McMurry to its board of trustees.

Blake said his interest in the foundation board is linked to the Ellen Cotterman Fund, which is focused on the arts. “I am excited to work with a foundation that has many similar funds,” he said.

Blake grew up in Columbus but came to the Tipp City area more than 38 years ago in his late teens. He has been a part of the community since that time. He is a project manager for Autocare, a division of Energizer Holdings.

Blake and his wife, Michele, have two sons. The eldest is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and coaches wrestling locally while the youngest is a freshman at Miami of Ohio.

His family, particularly his mother and father, inspired him to give back to the community and use what he has learned to benefit others, Blake said. “I bring energy, ideas and a willingness to be open minded to all opportunities,” he said. 

He has served on the Tipp City Restoration Board, Tipp City Planning Board, is past president of the Tipp City Area Arts Council and serves on the Tipp Monroe Community Services board.

“Our community is a vibrant fabric interwoven with many special individuals and organizations. I enjoy interacting with all of these unique individuals and helping to support the organizations,” Blake said.

“I am a very positive service-minded person, I love this community and see this organization as an opportunity to give back,” he said.

The second new trustee, McMurry, and his family have lived in the area for more than 30 years. His wife, Angie, is a graduate of Tippecanoe High School.

“The Tipp City Foundation is an excellent organization! Over the years, I have observed how it really makes a difference in our Tipp City community,” McMurry said.

McMurry grew up in Pretty Prairie in rural Kansas. He said Tipp City is very similar to that community. “Our children have opportunities to experience new things and broaden their horizons, while still enjoying the small-town setting,” he said.  

The couple has three children, a high school junior, a seventh grader and a kindergartner.

McMurry also pointed to a business community that is supportive of one another in good and bad economic times.

He attended Kansas State University, where he met his wife, and attended the University of Dayton School of Law.

McMurry remains a part of his family’s manufacturing business, serving as vice president of Nance Manufacturing in Kansas. He also is a partner in the law firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister focusing on business litigation and organization and serves as an adjunct professor at the UD law school.

He is a member of the Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers vintage base ball team and on the boards of Brukner Nature Center and Dayton Society for Natural History (Boonshoft). He is president-elect of the Federal Bar Association, a trade organization.

"I was interested in joining the Tipp City Foundation board because it gave me an opportunity to support the community that has been so supportive of my family,” McMurry said.

By Nancy Bowman

During the second quarter of the Tipp City Foundation’s grantmaking cycle, a special milestone was reached. Since its founding in 1943, the foundation has now awarded over $2.75 million in grants to the Tipp City, Monroe Township and Bethel Township communities.

The yardstick tallying grant awards is the most meaningful way the Foundation measures itself. It is the fulfillment of its mission as it commits to future generations. The recent milestone award enhances the visitor experience at the new Chamberlain Pond, east of downtown.

The meeting was the inaugural session for new board members Bryan Blake and Glen McMurry.

Several grant requests were in the running this quarter. Some organizations returned after several years without applying. In all, a broad variety of grants were awarded.  Ultimately, 12 organizations received 13 awards totaling $23,300.40.

The following is a list of recipients, award levels and the impact these grants will make. Any additional support that donor advisors gave through their grantmaking is included.

ARTS & CULTURE

CISV Midwest Chapter, award, educates and inspires action for a more just and peaceful world by engaging local youth. Reengaging local involvement after the pandemic is the goal for this award. A Lucky 13 Fund award.

Frank E. Robinson Post 586 of the American Legion, $1,015, refurbishes the signage for this organization, which supports veterans. An Urban Stewardship Fund grant.

Downtown Tipp City Partnership, $1,250, spruces up the exteriors of downtown properties identified through the Partnership’s Façade Improvement Program. An Urban Stewardship Fund grant.

Tipp City Public Library, $1,000, explores the challenge of creating peace through literature. Creating a more worldly generation is the goal of this partnership between the Library, Schools, and Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Additional support from the Robinson-Walters Family Fund rounds out this request for a total of $3,000.

EDUCATION

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, award, creates a makerspace at L.T. Ball, which encourages creative exploration, engineering, building, inventing and purposeful play. A Tipp Giving Fund award.

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $599, purchases a large green screen for filming classroom plays. A Youth of Tipp City Fund in memory of Sara Drexler grant. 

HEALTH & SAFETY

Bethel Township Fire Department, $6,350, promotes fire safety education by supporting the purchase of a new “smoke house”. A Safety First Fund grant.

Tipp City Fire and Emergency Services, $2,700, posts Stop the Bleed kits throughout Tipp City schools. These supplies would be used in case of a mass casualty event. We salute the Fire and EMS services for their preparedness and sincerely hope these kits will never be used. A Safety First Fund grant.

RECREATION

City of Tipp City, $1,886.40, improves the experience for visitors to the new Chamberlain Pond through the purchase of benches. Awarded through the Warren E. Miltenberger Parkland Fund. Additional support from the Wahl Family Fund rounds out this request for a total of $2,395.40.

Miamibucs, $2,500, fuels the “I Can” Triathlon for children with different abilities through the purchase of t-shirts and medals for up to 75 athletes and their buddies. A William’s Gift Fund grant.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley, $1,500, matches local youth on a waiting list with mentors.

Isaiah’s Place, Inc., $2,000, increases retention of foster parents by hosting support events. Retention assures continuity for foster children, which leads to better outcomes. Awarded, in part, through the H. E. “Tiny” and Emma Drewing Fund.

Tipp City Youth Soccer, $2,500, replaces older goal nets in Kyle Park.

Quarterly grant deadlines are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15 each year. Jim Ranft is available for your grant-related questions at 937-528-2482. Applications are available online at www.tippfoundation.org.

Members of the Foundation are Heather Bailey, Richard Bender, vice president, Bryan Blake, Mary Bowman, Diana Featherstone, treasurer, Dee Gillis, Joellen Heatherly, Bruce McKenzie, Glen McMurry, Patrick Reese, Jim Ranft, president and distribution chair, Julie Taylor, Jackie Wahl, and Bill Wendel, secretary.

The Tipp City Foundation is a component fund of The Troy Foundation. If you would like information about how to make a tax-deductible contribution or how to establish an endowment fund, please contact Heather Bailey at (937) 528-2482.

For more information visit www.tippfoundation.org or Tipp Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.

By Nancy Bowman 

The Tipp City Foundation is marking its $2.75 millionth dollar grant award for amenities at the new Jesse Chamberlain Pond located east of the city on State Route 571.

The award is special not only for the financial milestone but for the foundation’s opportunity to again honor the late Chamberlain. He voluntarily served the foundation for more than 50 years, said Heather Bailey of the foundation.

“We have a very soft spot in our hearts for this new wetland area that has been named for him,” she said. Chamberlain died in 2021 at age 100.

The grant for $2,395 was awarded to the city of Tipp City for providing benches and trash receptacles at the pond.

The Tipp City Council voted to name the pond after Chamberlain following his death.

Finishing touches are being planned for the Jesse Chamberlain Pond, said Tim Eggleston, city manager.

The property is not a park, he emphasized. People can fish at the site at their own risk, if they wish, Eggleston said.

Motorized watercrafts are banned. The pond bottom is not flat and there are tree trunks and gravel areas of different heights designed to accommodate aquatic and wildlife, Eggleston said.

Work remaining at the pond by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service includes adding more gravel and a sign, which also will be a foundation project, Bailey said.

“Just some final touch ups and it will be done,” Eggleston said of the project started in 2021.

The wetlands area was created along the Great Miami River as part of the state Off-Channel Wetland H2Ohio Project.

The wetlands are created by excavating areas prone to flooding and then re-establishing a connection to the river channel. The areas are designed to restore fish habitat, improve overall water quality, expand off-river storage during flooding and reduce erosion to the river.

The Tipp City project cost of more than $250,000 was paid 100 percent by the State H2Ohio program, said Donnie Knight of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program. The city hired a contractor for the job but did not have any financial commitment, Eggleston said.

This project is designed to off load flood waters from the river and allow nutrients and sediments to settle out and be up taken by plants, Knight said. 

“It reduces stream scour in the river which provides benefits to fish, freshwater mussels and other wildlife as well as protection to lands downstream by reducing bank erosion,” he said when the project was initiated.

A majority of the foundation grant was awarded from its Warren E. Miltenberger Parkland Fund. Funding also was provided from the advisers of the Wahl Family Fund, Bailey said.