Rush County excels at growing crops and livestock. But the land produces something even more valuable – strong families and a close-knit community. Toni Schultz, new RCCF board member, comes from both.

A farmgirl from a large family, Toni considers her parents to be her heroes, hands down. “They have lived lives being faithful to God, their family, church, and their community. They also blessed me with six amazing siblings.  The last couple of years have been a real challenge. There is no way that I could have survived without my family’s confidence, support, and unconditional love,” she shared.

Born and raised in the southeast part of Rush County, she moved from one farm to another when she married her husband of 26 years, David. Their farm is in the northeast section of the county and is a family business with son Brayton working alongside his dad. Their daughter Heidi is a kindergarten teacher. While Toni wouldn’t mind if their family grew to include grandchildren, she knows that it’s best to not apply maternal pressure.

Toni has been teaching art for nearly 30 years. At age 19, she started her career at St. Mary School. After five-year stints at both Seton Catholic High School in Richmond and Fayette County Schools, she landed her dream job at RCHS in 2013. Fun fact about Toni and a group of her co-workers – they get together weekly to learn and play ukulele!

Toni’s role as an instructor introduced her to RCCF. “My classroom has benefitted from grants to purchase large ticket items that were not covered by our budget,” she recalled. In 2014 the art department was awarded a Rush County Education grant to purchase fixtures for displaying student artwork.

“The RCCF has been a huge blessing to our family. My children, nieces and nephews have been gifted and awarded invaluable college scholarships by many RCCF donors,” she said. Toni and her family turned to RCCF when they wanted a meaningful way to memorialize her beloved sister, Molly, who was a social worker and compassionate advocate for at-risk youth and the elderly. They established the Molly Spaeth Fund for Transformation and Well-Being. “Creating a memorial in Molly’s name was a great way for my family to ‘pay it forward’,” explained Toni.

She’s found another simple way to return the kindness. “I struggle buying gifts. Really struggle. I can never purchase a gift that measures up or expresses my love or appreciation for another person. RCCF has become my go to gift. It is easy, meaningful, helps others.” And she added with a smile, “It can’t be returned or re-gifted.”

Now as a board member, Toni has deepened her relationship with RCCF and gained new appreciation for its mission. “During orientation, I was blown away by the attention that RCCF dedicates to each donor’s contribution and wishes. As a new donor, it was so validating to know that my contribution was watched and doted over with such sincere care and professionalism,” she noted. We couldn’t be more excited to have Toni’s enthusiasm and fresh perspective on the RCCF team and are looking forward to many years working together!