Welcome to the Starke County Community Foundation
Starke County is a wonderful rural county comprised of small towns where everyone knows each other; and can always depend on neighbors and friends in a pinch. It has a wonderful heritage and a diverse cultural background that adds to its charm.

Since 1996, Starke County Community Foundation has brought caring people and charitable endeavors together for the good of this great community. The Community Foundation gives donors flexible and tax-effective ways to ensure their charitable giving. We work to build substantial endowment funds for our community through contributions large and small.

Starke County Community Foundation is proud to be a part of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation (NICF). The NICF allows us to maximize our investment benefits and be more cost efficient. This way Starke County donations can do more—right here in Starke County.

So far, Starke County Community Foundation has dispersed over 2 million dollars in grants and scholarships. Currently the Community Foundation holds nearly $3 million in assets and administers 64 funds.

Turkey Tracks Event a Big Success
article and photos courtesy of WKVI.com
Published: April 30th, 2012

Bob Fossler and Gilbert Harrington

The three-day Turkey Tracks event was held this past weekend. As of Noon yesterday, the disabled hunters and guides had taken in 20 wild turkeys. The event was sponsored by the Eric Corey Foundation*, and the 31 hunters enjoyed a weekend in the woods.

Activities occurred during the evening and in fundraising efforts, two specially-crafted Eric Corey plaques were auctioned for $4,600.00. A third plaque was presented to Carol and Doug Corey to be hung in Eric’s trophy room.

Eric Corey passed away earlier this year of the ALS Disease, and one of his last wishes was that the hunt he established would go on forever.

“I knew that Eric was on my shoulder all weekend,” Carol Corey said yesterday afternoon. She and husband Doug wanted to thank everyone who took part from the guides, kitchen help, those who donated to help with lodging and licenses, and of course, the hunters.

“I knew it was going to be hard this year without Eric, but everyone poured their hearts out to make this hunt a success,” said Doug.

He closed by repeating a phrase that Eric always used, “It’s not about the birds, it’s about the friends you make along the way,” and that could be proven by the over 300 people who turned out at the Washington Township Community Building to not only enjoy the fellowship, but to celebrate the memory of their friend, the late Eric Corey.

Doug Corey, Seth McIntyre, Carol Corey and Queen Taylor		Hunters display a turkey killed during the hunt

*Note from the webmaster: The Eric Corey Foundation is a fund of the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc titled "Turkey Tracks Hunt and Eric Corey Foundation Fund"

SCCF Announces Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Recipients

An Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School student has been named the recipient of a full, four-year scholarship as the Starke County Community Foundation 2012 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.

Katelyn Schwenk

Katelyn Schwenk will receive full tuition to the Indiana college of her choice and an $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.

Katelyn is the daughter of David and Bonnie Schwenk and plans to pursue a degree as an Addictions Counselor. She is president of her class and has served in that capacity since her sophomore year. She is also the president of the National Honor Society and captain of the Lady Bobcats Varsity Girls Basketball team. Katelyn organized and created the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chapter at Oregon-Davis and was an event speaker to OD and Culver peers through Pathblazers-Positive Approach to Teen Heath.

This student was selected for the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship from a field of fifteen applications by the Starke County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee. The committee awarded only one scholarship this year. The number of scholarships is determined by the Lilly Endowment, Inc., which makes the scholarship possible through the Community Foundation.

For the selection process, the applications are scored on academic performance, volunteer and paid work, school activities and honors as well as a series of essays. Of the fifteen applications, eight finalists were selected for a final interview. These finalists were asked to write an impromptu essay and had a personal interview with the committee. The committee narrowed the field to one nominee and one alternate. These names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the selection of the recipients.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents thirty-one regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree. There were 142 scholarships awarded statewide.

The remaining seven finalists are Elliott Coad, Brenden Owens and Taylor Quella of Knox High School; John Eckert and Sierra Weist of North Judson-San Pierre High School; Dylan Shively of Oregon-Davis High School and Joseph Krsek who attends Culver Community High School.