03 Jul Introducing NICF board member Larry Cunningham
Larry Cunningham
We at the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. would like to introduce our first board member of the week, Larry Cunningham. Larry sits on the board for the Fulton County Community Foundation and the Northern Indiana Community Foundation.
Larry calls himself a “possibilitist.” He believes that all things are possible. Larry shared that no one part of the community is his favorite. He said, “Every project the Community Foundation has helped with is my favorite.” Every time he comes from a meeting here at the Foundation, he leaves feeling happy and confident about everything we are doing for our community.
Larry has lived in the Kewanna area for most of his life. Prior to being part of the Community Foundation, Larry graduated from Grass Creek High School and went to Valparaiso University, where he majored in philosophy and history. He wasn’t sure what he would do with his degree. One of his professors from Valparaiso suggested he go into the field of library science. Larry soon decided to attend Indiana University to obtain his library science degree.
He worked at many libraries all over, including the Fulton County Library. In Jennings County, Larry established a youth leadership program, which he ran for 15 years. He says that the reason he started the program was because he believes that the kids are the future of this community and that they need to get involved in their community at a young age.
Larry later took a break from the library scene to work for a bank in Chicago. When his wife passed away in 2004, he decided it was time to move back home. He returned to the farm in Kewanna, where he resides today. Upon returning, he once again became involved in libraries.
In 2006 Larry heard about the Community Foundation’s Fulton County 4-H Fund and came in to make a donation. Larry become more involved in the Foundation when Harry Richter encouraged him to become a board member. Larry officially became part of the board in 2007 and has continued serving since. He was the President of the board in 2014, and he also serves on both our grants and scholarship committees.
Larry has taken his service to the community through the Community Foundation even further by becoming a fund founder, establishing the Cunningham Community Fund in 2005. As a community fund, its support is awarded each year to deserving charitable organizations through a grant application. This flexibility allows the fund to support the ever-evolving needs of our community forever.
In Larry’s free time, he enjoys reading books and traveling where his children reside so he can spend time with his grandchildren.
The Northern Indiana Community Foundation is thankful for Larry’s hard work and dedication to the community. We are grateful to have had him as a board member for all these years!