MANSFIELD — The Rotary Club of Mansfield celebrated its 100th anniversary by setting up a scholarship fund at the Foundation. It is called the Mansfield Rotary Centennial Scholarship Fund.
The scholarship will be awarded to nontraditional students to attend Ohio State University at Mansfield or North Central State College. The fund is designed to help returning Richland County adult students over the age of 25 who want to pursue a certificate or a degree.
“This scholarship could help address local workforce demands,” said Mansfield Rotary President Cynthia Wood.
Both colleges have students with families who enroll in their 20s and 30s. They want to go back to school but the tuition is a financial burden. The scholarship will be paid directly to either OSU-M or NCSC and can be used for tuition, books, fee’s, or student needs.
Other projects funded by the Rotary Club to observe its anniversary were an old-fashioned street clock in the Carrousel District and a patio and furniture for addiction recovery patients at Catalyst Life Services.
The Rotary Club of Mansfield has three other endowed funds at the Richland County Foundation to ensure a long-term, stable source of funding.
The first fund, the Walter Willis Scholarship Fund, was created in 1984. It was named to honor Walter Willis who served as the club’s secretary/treasurer for 53 years. He also was a major initial contributor to the fund. His interests in economics, forestry, and natural resources are the focus of the college scholarship.
The McGowan Courage Award Fund was established in 1990 by an anonymous donor and was generously supported by Earl Goetz. It provides funding for $1,000 grants awarded annually to the recipients of the McGowan Courage Award. The award honors high school students who despite facing significant physical, psychological, family, or other challenges manage to succeed in school. The students are nominated by teachers and staff at Richland County high schools.
The fund and award are named in honor of Salvation Army Brigadier Bill McGowan, who was a long-time Rotarian and one of the award’s originators in 1968.
The 1991-92 Rotary Club President Tom Doty set a goal to start a fund to financially support various Rotary Club community projects. Tragically, he died in office.
Club members responded by supporting his dream and in 1993 established the Rotary Club of Mansfield Tom Doty Community Fund. The donor advised fund has grown over the years and funded several local projects including a playscape at North Lake Park.
Anyone can donate to the fund online at richlandcountyfoundation.org, click the donate button and select the Mansfield Rotary Centennial Scholarship Fund. Or you can write a check to the Richland County Foundation and note the fund on the memo line.
About the Richland County Foundation
The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501c3, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County and its residents.
The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts for charity wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county’s citizens. Working together with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future.
