Harrison County Foundation sees strong results

The Harrison County Community Foundation held its 2024 annual presentation Sept. 10 at Sally Buffalo’s Wallace Lodge, with committee member Jim Rocchi serving as master of ceremonies.

Rocchi opened by sharing the foundation’s origin, which began with an anonymous $10,000 gift in 2012 and has since grown into an endowment of more than $850,000.

“It’s a place where people can give into an endowment and all the money we raise stays here in our community,” Rocchi told the crowd. “It gives everybody here some place to give and we can do great things and help the community organizations.”

This year, 15 grants totaling $33,280 were awarded. Foundation members include Allison Anderson, Todd Dunlap, Amy Jones, Lori Milleson, Kris Puskarich, Matthew Puskarich, Karli Ray, Sam Smith, John Tabacchi and Sandi Thompson.

“This is something that is in perpetuity — it’s going to last forever long after we are gone from here,” Rocchi said. “We’re still going to be talking about the Harrison County Community Foundation.”

Grant recipients included Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio, which received support for programs addressing opioid addiction among youth, and Blues for a Cure, which has raised more than $300,000 in the past 13 years to benefit Harrison Community Hospital and Cancer Crusaders.

“Each year is getting better and better, giving out more money and raising more awareness of what the community is benefitting from here and how the foundation is benefitting everybody in Harrison County,” said Matthew Puskarich. “We’re very proud of tonight’s events, the hard work of the committee and even more so the donors who make it all possible.”

Other 2024 grant recipients included:

— Puskarich Library, partnered with Cadiz’s Peaceflower Pottery

— Village of Hopedale

— Bowerston Volunteer Fire Department

— Crossroads Farm

— Deersville Community Players

— Eastern Ohio Extension Camps Inc.

— German Township

— Harrison Central Theatre Parents Club

— Harrison County Dog Pound Volunteers

— Harrison General Health District

— Harrison Metropolitan Housing Authority

— Harrisville Methodist Church

— Pathways for Inclusion: A Deluca Family Initiative