Submissions welcome
Community members are invited to submit a Community Commentary column for publication. Columns should be approximately 500 words in length and will be edited for publication. The News-Sun will make the final decision on whether they will be published. Any column submissions should be emailed to Springfield News-Sun Editor Samantha Sommer at samantha.sommer@coxinc.com. For more info, call 937-328-0346.
The Springfield Foundation, the community foundation serving Clark County and the surrounding area, has been in existence since 1948 promoting philanthropy, grantmaking and giving scholarships to local graduates. Through endowments set up by visionary donors, the Springfield Foundation has been able to assist local students continue their education since 1964 when the first scholarship fund was established.
The Albert H. Carr Memorial Fund, established in 1964, was the first scholarship fund created at the Springfield Foundation. In 1966, it awarded $923.50 to four recipients: Janet Perry to attend Ohio State University, Sandra J. Brown to attend Springfield and Clark County Technical School, Barbara Sue Garven to attend Kent State University, and Lavon K. Stooksberry Jr. to attend Wright State University.
Since 1964, the foundation has grown tremendously, with current assets over $74 million. The Springfield Foundation has awarded more than 3,100 scholarships, totaling $4,667,162 to more than 3,000 graduates of Clark County and the surrounding area.
Donors from all walks of life have established funds at the foundation.
J. Albert Turner, a Cedarville native, spent most of his career as a teacher and coach for Hayward Middle School. He devoted himself to his profession and helping improve the lives of those around him. In 2004,The Coach Al Turner Memorial Scholarship was established by a group of former students to honor his memory. It is awarded to Springfield High School seniors who attended Hayward Middle School and exemplify good citizenship.
Dorothy Krautwater Mumma was a lifelong teacher in the public school system, as well as counselor and dean at Springfield High School. Upon her passing in 1982, she bequeathed a substantial portion of her estate to the foundation, nearly doubling the organization’s total assets. Her legacy established everlasting support for college scholarships, tuition loans through Clark State and annual gifts to several local nonprofit organizations. Collectively, the funds she created through the foundation have assisted several hundred students with their higher education.
On May 11, 2004, Richard “Pup” Conklin was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident when his motorcycle was hit by an oncoming van that mistakenly turned in front of him. Pup was a motorcycle enthusiast, a motorcycle drag racer, and road captain of the Plains Drifters. Following his death, the Plains Drifters Motorcycle club established the Richard “Pup” Conklin Motorcycle Mechanics Scholarship to provide financial aid to students pursuing motorcycle mechanics training.
Of the 99 funds administered by the Springfield Foundation, the largest scholarship fund to date is The Garth Q. Briggs Scholarship Fund of the Tecumseh Education Foundation in memory of Carl and Vernie Weinland.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in creating a scholarship fund, either as a way to memorialize someone, to give back, or to help a student achieve their dreams, please visit our website www.springfieldfoundation.org or call 937-324-8773.