April Mystery

While jigsaw puzzles have made a comeback as a pastime during the COVID-19 stay at home orders, the Tipp City Foundation is seeking help to solve a puzzle of a different kind.

For the past decade, Heather Bailey of the foundation has been working to develop a legacy donors archive of backgrounds and photos of those donors who have made estate gifts called legacy donations.

These donations have been made to the foundation since 1943 through people’s wills and estates.

“When we receive those gifts, we make a commitment to honor the charitable dreams those donors wanted fulfilled,” Bailey said. The donors usually told the foundation in advance their goals for use of the grant dollars from their specific fund.

Over the 10 years biographical information and photos of donors have been compiled for the legacy archive for most but not all individuals.

This is where the mystery comes in. Despite extensive searches, photos and added biographical information on two legacy donors from years past have not been found.

They are Emma Henke Warner, 1862-1947, and William H. Kendig, 1870-1956.

This information is known about Emma Henke Warner: Emma left a gift in memory of her dad, August Henke. At the time of his death in 1923, the obituary described him as Tippecanoe’s oldest citizen.  Emma’s gift became an endowment for the “comfort and support for needy and aged men.” In addition to Emma’s photo, Bailey said the foundation would love to also have a photo of August Henke.

William H. Kendig’s legacy gift was used to support area youth. He and his wife, Loletha lived for a short time at North Third and Plum streets and had no children of their own.

“It means so much to me personally that these people live on through the foundation. I feel like it is our commitment to them in turn for their commitment to the community,” Bailey said.

The challenge to the community is to use possible added time during the COVID-19 pandemic stay at home orders to help the foundation locate the photos and any other information by sorting through scrapbooks, closets and attics.

If a photo of Emma Henke Warner, William Kendig or August Henke is found, the person with the photo is asked to contact foundation president Dee Gills through the foundation at 937-528-2482 or info@tippfoundation.org.

Hopes are the foundation can complete its archive, on display on the foundation web site, honoring those who have left it estate assets. “We take this obligation very seriously,” Bailey said.

More information on the Tipp City Foundation, its donors and its funds is available at tippfoundation.org.

SOCIAL SERVICES
Needy Basket of Southern Miami County, $2,500.00, helps purchase an additional 35,000 – 45,000 pounds of food above the original 2020 estimate. Demands for nutrition assistance were on track for a 91% increase by the end of April.

The pantry is open weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for Tipp City, Monroe and Bethel Township residents. To donate food, money or time, visit www.needybasket.org or call (937) 667-1977 for details.

Area nonprofits in need of emergency economic assistance from the Foundation may contact Jim Ranft at (937) 528-2482 or email info@tippfoundation.org.

The non-emergency grant submission deadline for 2Q is June 1. Application forms are found at www.tippfoundation.org. 

Support the Tipp City Foundation

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 IInstagram
Visiting our Website
Sending 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; Dungan & LeFevre; Ever-Green Turf & Landscape; Gibson Law Offices; Greenville Federal; 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

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