Among the many reasons that Bartholomew County is a great place to live is the amazing number of people who want to make a positive contribution to their community. I have often wondered if the community attracts people who are looking for opportunities to build community or if that desire is created by living here.
Sometimes Heritage Fund or other organizations can help, but some fantastic things also happen because of the determination and vision of the person(s) with the idea. In June, I was lucky enough to be part of two separate events created by and brought to the community by three remarkable women who just wanted to do some good.
Jill Tasker, a former New York City actor who returned to her hometown in 2012, staged a theatrical reading at Helen Haddad Hall to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. Jill has been a dedicated fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research for more than nine years, having experienced firsthand the devastation of the disease that ultimately claimed her mother. Jill teamed up with former NYC colleague and playwright Philip Kaplan to present the very compelling and beautiful play “Losing Sandi,” named after her mom.
Jill found local actors, scheduled rehearsals, found a space, advertised and raised money during two well-attended shows. She also raises money by organizing Sandi’s Closet, Inc., a nonprofit that provides pop-up shopping experiences in memory care units, assisted living and adult day care. Facilities interested in a Sandi’s Closet event should contact [email protected].
A few weeks later at the Juneteenth celebration, I signed up for the Black History Trail in Bartholomew County tour with Paulette Roberts and Brenda Pitts. These two remarkable women have spent years studying Black history and finding ways to share their knowledge with the broader community.
Paulette, a retired BCSC teacher, teamed up with Brenda, a retired Cummins vice president, to create and deliver the tour, which offers a different and important perspective of this community that I wish everyone could experience. The Columbus Area Visitors Center has the brochure with details on how to get signed up for one. Landmark Columbus Foundation also has partnered with Paulette and Brenda to offer it in their tour series.
I met Paulette in 2004 when she was raising money for an enrichment program at Second Baptist. She was determined to make sure that children had an opportunity to learn to their full potential. She is still tutoring, and raising money, for that program.
I worked for Brenda at Cummins when she began researching her family history. That interest broadened to her childhood community, and she has more projects on the horizon. Brenda recounts story after story that lift up the resilience of the Black population and provide inspiration for anyone having to overcome challenges.
All three of these women are amazing writers, researchers and darn good storytellers. They each, in their own unique way, help to increase understanding and compassion in our community. They don’t get this work done with help from grants or staff support. Instead, they use their skill, passion and time to make all of us better people.
Tracy Souza is president and CEO of Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. Contact the fund at 812-376-7772 to learn more about how they can help you do “Your Philanthropy. Your Way.” Send comments to [email protected].
