LAGRANGE – Amy Whited of LaGrange received the LaGrange County Community Foundation’s highest volunteer honor – the Heart of Gold Award – at the foundation’s annual celebration Monday evening, June 12, at the Farmstead Inn and Conference Center.
Whited, an art teacher at Lakeland Intermediate School, was nominated for the award by her mentor and friend, Mary Woodworth. Whited credited her mentor for encouraging her to pursue a creative path.
Known to serve quietly in the background, Whited is involved in volunteer activities for youth, especially in art. She is a 25-year member of Tri Kappa Mu, a local women’s sorority focused on philanthropy, and helps to organize the annual Tri Kappa Art Month. A board member of LaGrange Communities Youth Centers, she leads and instructs an annual summer art camp for elementary students. She volunteers with Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do and LaGrange’s Night to Shine. This past year, she was instrumental in helping support a new arts organization, LaGrange County Arts.
The gathering was a celebration of all the good work done by volunteers, nonprofits, donors and community partners in helping advance the community foundation’s mission of inspiring generosity, leadership and service in LaGrange County.
The event, with the theme of “Let’s Rise,” featured a panel of nonprofit directors sharing how their organizations are rising to meet community needs. Featured nonprofits included Kathy Dunafin of Elijah Haven Crisis and Intervention Center, Jared Beasley of Community Health Clinic and Portia Amstutz of Rainbow Years Learning Ministry.
Jason Schackow, principal of Lakeland Jr.-Sr. High School, shared the keynote address about “Rising to the Challenge.” He noted how amazing LaGrange County residents are at this already, but encouraged the audience to take that one more step or do one more thing that will sets an individual apart. Face challenges head-on because “we were born for such a time as this,” Schackow said.
The community foundation also announced the recipients of its spring Community Impact Grants cycle. Four organizations will receive grant funds totaling $71,736:
• LaGrange County Arts will receive $5,000 for the second annual LaGrange County Arts Festival. The June 24 event will showcase artists specializing in theatrical, literary, visual and musical arts.
• St. Martin’s Healthcare will receive $25,000 for its mobile health clinic. The organization provides healthcare to uninsured and underinsured people in LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and DeKalb counties. Their mobile clinic will visit LaGrange County at least once a week to see patients.
• Community Dental Clinic in Topeka will receive $20,000 to help buy an oral scanner helping its organization to provide more effective dental care.
• Rainbow Years Learning Ministry will receive $21,736 to help buy materials, furniture, equipment, toys and activities for the childcare’s upgraded facilities. Rainbow Years Expansion Project will be adding 25 more childcare seats.
Whited was one of 10 Heart of Gold nominees honored at the foundation’s annual event. Other honorees included Alexis Grossman of Wolcottville, Alice Bremer of LaGrange, Heather Evenson of Wolcottville, John Schmidt of LaGrange, Keith James of Howe, Kevin Myers of LaGrange, Mike Brudney of LaGrange, Randy Merrifield of LaGrange, and Samantha Davis-Kania of LaGrange.
The LaGrange County Community Foundation’s mission is to inspire and sustain generosity, leadership and service. Founded in 1991, the community foundation connects people to charitable causes and provides resources to nonprofits.
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