By Nancy Bowman

Read Across America Week was celebrated earlier this month at Nevin Coppock Elementary School with local illustrator Liz Ball drawing students into the world of hidden pictures.

Ball, creator of the Hidden Picture Puzzles books, shared tips on developing a hidden picture using items associated with the students' and their teachers’ interests to grab the young people’s attention.

Read Across America Week is celebrated each year on or near March 2, which is the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss.

The nationwide celebration of reading was created by the National Education Association in 1997 as a means to promote literacy and encourage a love of reading among young children, said Nancy Carus, a Nevin Coppock teacher. The Nevin Coppock Literacy Committee developed the local activity.

Ball was invited this year to demonstrate for kindergarten and first grade students the creative stages of developing illustrations.

The week’s theme, “We Can Be Reading Detectives,” was reflected in activities centered around the hidden pictures and mystery books.

“Students read with magnifying glasses, flashlights, solved clues of a mystery reader and dressed as their favorite book character. During Liz’s visit, students enjoyed having the opportunity to create their own hidden picture,” Carus said. “They were proud of their work and had fun finding the objects in the pictures Liz created.”

Ball said she first led students and teachers in an exercise where she made a personalized hidden picture for a teacher with students helping provide information on the teacher’s favorite things such as animals, hobbies and activities.

She then led students through a step by step how to make a hidden picture. “This is always fun, and their drawings are adorable!” Ball said.

She also allowed time for the students to ask her questions.

"Their enthusiasm, concentration on drawing and behavior made it a pleasure to be part of their day.  Besides helping with spatial skills, hidden pictures also improve eye coordination, memory retention and concentration--but kids (and adults) just look at them as fun,” she said.

The Read Across America Week project received funding through a grant sought from and awarded by the Tipp City Foundation.

A robust variety of grant requests were submitted for the Tipp City Foundation’s first quarterly meeting. Perennial favorites among them addressed literacy, children’s dental care, and new high school stadiums. Read more about these below.

Other requests stood out for the scale and scope of the need. One of those is Bethel Hope’s expansion into book bags and backpacks for incoming refugee students. These essentials for building a new life in a new country are in demand as resettled families move into the Bethel community.

Ultimately, 12 organizations were chosen to receive 13 awards. Grants totaled $43,612 for the first quarter.

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

Project T.I.P.P. (Teens Impacting and Promoting Philanthropy), $5,000, gives teens grantmaking responsibility in conjunction with the Tipp City Chamber of Commerce’s Teen Leadership Academy. 

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $1,635, hosts children’s book author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand in K-1 classes, to discuss the creative stages of making a book.

Tipp City Exempted Village Schools, $699, updates the high school band room with a Harmony Director, a keyboard that helps make teaching more effective.

Tipp City Seniors, $5,000, fills out a newly renovated space by purchasing tables and chairs. Members will be able to show off this new space in just a few months. Awarded, in part, from the Jim and June Kyle Family Fund and the August Henke Comfort for the Needy Fund.

EDUCATION

Bethel Local Schools, award, pilots the Positive Behavior Support Rewards project in the elementary. A Robinson-Walters Family Fund grant.

Troy-Miami County Public Library, $2,000, supports Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

ENVIRONMENT

Brukner Nature Center, $1,278, warms orphaned and injured wildlife in three new incubators. Nearly 1,300 wild patients pass through this rehabilitation unit annually. 

HEALTH & SAFETY

Miami County Dental Clinic, $5,000, supports Traveling Smiles, a dental care program for uninsured and underinsured children from our community.

RECREATION

Bethel Local Schools, $5,000, represents a payment towards the Foundation’s commitment of $25,000 to build a new stadium. Awarded, in part, from the Bethel Arts Fund.

Tipp Monroe Community Services, $3,600, defrays Camp Kern excursion costs for 95 campers.

Tipp Pride Association, $7,500, represents a payment towards the Foundation’s commitment of $75,000 to build a new stadium in City Park.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Bethel Hope, $3,000, purchases book bags and school supplies for incoming students in need. Many of these students are from resettled refugee families.

DREAM Pet Rescue, $2,400, spays and neuters dogs from the Miami County Animal Shelter.

GIVE Medical Ministry, $1,500, supplements durable medical equipment for this lending source.

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.

Since 1943, the Tipp City Foundation has awarded $2,713,187.86 through December 31, 2022.

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.

Claudia Houdeshell Koerner has returned to her hometown after more than 50 years. She has established a legacy connection with two funds, focusing on supporting those interested in the trades and providing equipment and facilities to related educational institutions. The funds, established in recent months, honor her husband Phil, who passed away in 2021, and his decades-long respect for those who work in the trades.

Philip Koerner, an east coast native whom Claudia met when she moved to Hartford, Connecticut, following graduation from Miami University, worked as an insurance company executive. Claudia worked in the insurance business for a time, then later obtained a master's degree in library science and also worked in real estate. 

The Koerners lived in Hartford and then in New Hampshire. Through the years, they owned many houses and came to appreciate the skill and pride which so many brought to their work. “His fear was that the emphasis on education in the trades was no longer a priority,” said Claudia. “Hopefully, these funds will be an encouragement for some who might not otherwise consider entering these fields.” The Road Less Traveled Scholarship Fund is for anyone of any age who wants to pursue the trades. The Koerner Family Fund is more geared toward providing equipment and facilities for trade-associated colleges and trade schools. 

The Koerners were planning on moving back to Tipp City in 2021. However, Philip passed unexpectedly before he could make the move. So, Claudia is again making Tipp City her home. “I am happy to be here” she said, noting that her sister and nieces and their families live locally, as well as some old school friends. She was familiar with the Tipp City Foundation through a bequest left by her parents, Gene and Jean Houdeshell. “The Foundation does good work, and I am happy to help where I can. This is where I'm from and where I plan to stay. The Tipp City Foundation was the right way for me to go. I'm happy with my choice.”

Walking around town on a nice day lately, I recognize the things which tell you spring is in the air…birds chirping, daffodils springing forth, people enjoying a brisk walk and the freshness of a bright sunny day.

I saw one man, and although I know his name and have seen him many times, I must admit I know very little about him. He was strolling along Main Street, doing some casual “window shopping” downtown. I’ve seen him at various events and activities, and he seems to be one of those gentlemen that you often see talking to people or just walking around town. This man is Gordon Honeyman, a lifelong resident.

Gordon was born in this great little town many years ago. His father was the village electrician. Gordon, meanwhile, went to work for Merrill Lynch, starting in 1965 and continuing in that line for more than fifty years. During that time, Gordon has seen the village grow into a town and the town into a city, what many of us call Tipp City. 

Speaking of that name, Gordon feels strongly that our fair town should once again be called “Tippecanoe.” His desire for this stems from the significance our community has played, even in years gone by. Gordon points out that the name has “class” and carries “historical meaning” from an era that many today are unfamiliar with. To Gordon, the name “Tipp City” sounds a bit silly and fails to convey the rich heritage that built our downtown and the surrounding area. The only reason it may not sound silly to most locals is because it’s what they have come to know and have heard repeated for years. But tell it to someone who is not familiar with the name, and they usually ask why such a wonderful town has such an odd name.

But a rose is still a rose, and with his hometown of Tipp City being his inspiration through the many years, Gordon has always looked for ways to give back. Having served on the Tipp City Foundation board for many years, Gordon was eager to have another way to give back when he established a fund in 2021 to carry on his devotion to the town in perpetuity. Gordon knows that those on the board will see to it that the funds coming from his endowment will strengthen the community in the best way possible. Although Gordon started the fund with a smaller initial amount, the fund will receive a much larger injection of assets transferred in from Gordon’s retirement funds when the day finally arrives that he no longer needs them.

The weeks to come will surely bring some beautiful spring days, the sort which tell you it won’t be long until the lazy, hazy days of summer—with its heat and humidity—will be upon us. And on one of these beautiful days, I will surely take a walk, and most likely I’ll see Gordon out and about in the community. I may walk up and let him expound on his thoughts of changing the name of our community back to Tippecanoe. Who knows, maybe someone will start a movement to reclaim the name, and maybe that movement will need funding—and in another way Gordon’s vision might continue. After all, his fund fittingly uses the name “Tippecanoe” to bring attention to that wonderful name this great community holds near and dear.

See how you can have a lasting impression on your community starting today. Visit https://tippfoundation.org/.

Story written by Bruce McKenzie

Those involved in ensuring the welfare of animals, including people interested in veterinary medicine, will benefit from the new Arthur and Nancy Hattan Fund through the Tipp City Foundation.

The Hattans were married in 1975 and have lived in Bethel Township since 1979, coming to Miami County from the Dayton area.

Arthur Hattan taught at the Northridge schools and Dayton City Schools before taking a job with Hohman Plating. Nancy Hattan worked at Hohman Plating before joining Hobart Corp., where she worked until the company was bought by Dart and Kraft.

The couple had no children, and both came from families where dogs were members. There was a natural gravitation towards dogs joining their family and later, when the couple moved to the country, they also welcomed horses.

“Both have been a part of our family most of our lives,” the Hattans said.

At one time, they had 11 horses, including show horses, broodmares and foals. “That, as horse people can tell you, is a full-time job,” Arthur Hattan said.

When they owned Morgan horses, they showed them from Detroit to Atlanta and Boston to Denver.

The Hattans also were long- time owners/breeders of Cocker Spaniels and are current Papillon owners. “A dog gives its heart to its caretakers like no other animal we know. The more affection you show to a dog, the more you receive in return. It is a win/win relationship for dog and caretaker,” they said.

As they aged, the Hattans explored financial options for the future. “When donating to a foundation, you want to be able to see the fruits of your donation. For that to happen, the sooner the better,” Arthur Hattan said of the fund’s creation.

Over the years living in the rural township, they had adopted Tipp City as their city. Utilizing options of the Tipp City Foundation, therefore, was a natural choice.

"We hope that the fund will be able to both benefit animals and animal groups as well as those who are studying to be able to serve the animal community,” Arthur Hattan said.

By Nancy Bowman

The Miami County Dental Clinic continues to provide preventative and restorative dental care for county residents including children at its clinic on Troy Town Drive in Troy and through its Traveling Smiles outreach that includes visits to schools and other community locations.

The clinic was founded in 2008 and has been under the leadership of Stephanie Waller, executive director, since 2018.

“Our dental services have remained unchanged over the years. A main objective of the Miami County Dental Clinic is to be a dental home to members of our community who would otherwise not have access to or be able to afford dental care,” she said.

The clinic specializes in routine and emergency examinations, hygiene, extractions, rotary endodontics, amalgam and composite restorations, dentures, partials and crowns. 

Traveling Smiles is a program that began in 2012. It provides care for children, in their school setting, who do not have a dental home, Waller said. 

The staff last summer also set up clinic locations at Lincoln Community Center in Troy and the Piqua Compassion Network to see those children who may not have had the opportunity to participate in the program during the school year.

The Traveling Smiles staff is now moving to the Tipp City schools and at Isaiah’s Place, Troy, where local foster families can receive total care.

What Waller called an “exciting addition to the program” this year is the hiring through the Ohio State University College of Dentistry of pediatric dental fellows to work with the clinic’s team.  Twice a week, a pediatric dental fellow works with Traveling Smiles to provide dental care and oral health education for students. The fellows are fully licensed, practicing dentists that seek to gain experience in working with children prior to continuing their education to become specialized pediatric dentists.  

The partnership is a win-win for both programs, Waller said, adding, “Our young patients are receiving amazing care and these dentists are gaining valuable experience as they prepare for their next career steps.”

Each year, National Children’s Dental Health Care Month is in February.

Among those helping finance the clinic has been the Tipp City Foundation.

"The Tipp City Foundation has been an awesome supporter of the MCDC and our programs. They have graciously provided us with funding to provide exams, x-rays and cleanings for our uninsured patients; funding to help offset the cost of our lab fees and dental supplies; and they completely funded the update and makeover of our current website, www.miamicountydental.org. We are extremely grateful for their generosity and the cheerleading they do for our work,” Waller said.