Bergholz Community Foundation marks 30th anniversary

BERGHOLZ -- It's a special year for the Bergholz Community Foundation that plans to celebrate its 30th anniversary in an old-fashioned kind of way this summer.

To honor the accomplishments of the foundation, generate donations and recruit new members, the foundation will host a special community event next month.

"Back in the 'golden days' of Bergholz, the volunteer fire department and various organizations would host an annual homecoming/fair event," explained Christy Kemmer, the foundation's secretary and co-treasurer. "In hopes of recreating the fellowship and sense of community that those events created, the foundation is sponsoring a three-day homecoming/fair in Bergholz."

The event set for June 15-17 will be a free family-friendly, carnival-style event featuring rides, food, entertainment and a parade. The venue will be the Bergholz Volunteer Fire Department at 724 Monroe St., Bergholz.

The schedule of events includes:

• June 15: Rides and midway from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and singer Chelsea Householder from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

• June 16: Rides and midway from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and a parade beginning at 6 p.m.

• June 17: Rides and midway from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Easy Street Band performing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The theme of the event is "Invest in Your Community. Invest in the Bergholz Community Foundation."

"We want to create a community event that supports camaraderie and something for all to enjoy," noted Amy Richards, who serves as president of the foundation. "This event will be similar to the homecomings that took place in our village years ago. By making the rides free, it can be affordable to anyone," she explained.

"It is our hope that some of our past residents will return home for the celebration," Richards added. "We want to make people aware of the amazing projects that the foundation has funded over the years and we hope to get new people to become members and receive additional donations.

Aside from Richards and Kemmer, foundation leaders are Terri McConnaughy, vice president and treasurer, and trustees Mike Dubetz, David McBane, Ryan Boyd, Kim Richardson, Nikki Klein and Meghan Crow.

Organizing the festivities are the foundation trustees, a few members of the community and area elected officials.

The foundation was the vision of the late Ralph McBane to make Bergholz and its surrounding communities a better place to live, according to Richards, his granddaughter.

Together with his son, Jim McBane, and fellow businessman and friend Bill DeNoon Sr., the foundation was formed with the original endowment of just under $100,000 consisting of several gifts of Sky Bank stock and a small amount of cash.

The intent was to fund projects in and around the Bergholz community that otherwise wouldn't get monetary support, with the hope that the foundation could be the vehicle for ongoing improvements.

Officials identified the foundation's mission as fostering community pride and enriching the lives of the residents of Bergholz and the surrounding area through leadership and financial assistance in the areas of safety, religion, education, culture and recreation.

The foundation manages permanent charitable funds and oversees different perpetual funds, including a scholarship fund, funds to benefit specific charitable organizations and unrestricted funds to support changing and emerging community needs. Aside from scholarships, it does not make awards to individuals and reviews applications submitted for assistance.

It was incorporated on Aug. 31, 1993, obtaining 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a public charity. Its original board of trustees consisted of five volunteers from the community -- Ralph W. McBane, president; William S. DeNoon, vice president; Crow, secretary-treasurer; James C. McBane, trustee; and Margaret Blosser, trustee. In November 1994, the number of trustees was increased to nine.

"By June, we will have funded just under $2,200,000 in grants," Richards pointed out.

Estimated overall totals for various beneficiaries since 1993 through 2023-23 budgeted giving are:

• Village of Bergholz and civic, $385,546; Bergholz Volunteer Fire Department, $413,069;

• Bergholz EMS, $193,700;

• Scholarships/education, $450,874;

• Edison Local Schools, $192,756;

• Church and youth ministry, $84,392;

• Food pantry/emergency fund, $191,500;

• Medical building, $44,136;

• COVID relief, $23,922;

• Miscellaneous, $116,881; and

• Discretionary fund, $96,500.

The foundation welcomes new members. Interested individuals can become one in one of two ways -- a one-time gift of $1,000 or a commitment of $100 a year for 10 years. The foundation additionally can be supported with donations of any amount.

Checks can be made out to the Bergholz Community Foundation and mailed to P.O. Box 201, Bergholz OH 43908.

The website address is www.bergholzfoundation.org. There also is a Bergholz Community Foundation Facebook page.