Fall is undoubtedly a busy time of year in Rush County. Farmers are harvesting their fields. At the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF), we’re working our own fields – Field of Interest Funds that is!

When a donor is passionate about a certain cause, she might start a fund to support organization or projects addressing challenges and making positive progress in that area. These are known as Field of Interest Funds.

RCCF is pleased to announce the 2021 Field of Interest Fund grants totaling $29,785.64:

Kenneth and Charlotte Brashaber Teacher Enhancement Award

• $1,000 awarded to Daniel Riddell, mathematics teacher at Rushville Consolidated High School (RCHS), to use toward obtaining his Master’s Degree in Mathematics at Indiana Wesleyan University. Congratulations, Mr. Riddell!

Rush County Education Fund

• $172.73 awarded to Amaranta Kemple, Spanish teacher at RCHS, for vocabulary building tools to be used by her students. ¡Ay, qué bueno!

Alex Workman Memorial Fund and Rush County Education Fund

• $1,675 awarded to Milroy Elementary School (MES) to purchase supplies to build a sensory path in a hallway. Spending time in sensory rooms helps children improve visual, auditory and tactile processing and motor skills. These spaces create a sense of calm and comfort to help children self-regulate their behaviors, which improves focus and learning. Movement can help all children improve learning. This project will benefit the more than 20 MES students who have social/emotional challenges, as well as the general school population.
• $2,604.80 awarded to Rushville Elementary West for supplies to create individualized “Success Boxes” for students with autism to fidget, reset and regulate and $483.20 for supplies to improve fine and gross motor skills for Life Skills students. Staff and students will receive training on using the boxes and the new sensory hallway. When a student with autism is struggling in the classroom, he or she will be able to create and pick up their own Success Box to help regulate their minds, bodies and emotions and return their focus to learning.
• $2,800 awarded to Rushville Elementary East for movement stations and flexible seating to benefit students who have social/emotional challenges.

Helen and Jim Ewing Fund to Help the Elderly and Feed the Hungry

• $12,500 awarded to Gleaners Food Bank to support the two school-based food pantries in Rush County, housed at RCHS and MES.

Music for Rush County Fund

• $5,982.74 awarded to the Heart of Rushville to help secure a well-known act for the final concert of the Riverside Park Amphitheater to coincide with the Bicentennial celebrations to be held in September of 2022.

Rita Yager Memorial Ag Fund

• $707.98 awarded to the Rushville Animal Shelter for a camcorder and camera to assist in documenting any future animal neglect cases.
• $300 awarded to Rush County Farm Bureau toward the “Sunflower House” project supplies and classroom books. This program will teach all Rush County 2nd grade students about growing sunflowers and their many uses. The book, “Sunflower House” by Eve Bunting will be used to help spark interest in growing their own plants. Children will receive their own seeds and snack on some, too.

Rush County Youth Athletic Fund

• $359.19 awarded to Eric Wagner, Boys Soccer Coach at RCHS, to assist with the purchase of a Veo camera system to record soccer matches for team review to livestream matches.

Youth in Philanthropy Fund

• $1,200 awarded to RCHS to help continue its popular program to provide healthy breakfast snacks. Nutritional education will be discussed in the FACS classes. Students will compile a list of options and then give the entire student body the opportunity to vote on which snacks they would like. RCHS faculty distributes approximately 375 snacks per week.

We are grateful to the founders of these funds and the donors who have supported them throughout the years! If you’d like to join them in making a difference for the Rush County Community, a gift of any amount is always appreciated. Donate online or by mailing a check to: RCCF, 117 N. Main Street, Rushville, IN 46173.