“It’s our Hometown”

“For the first 18 years of our lives – the years that shaped us into who and what we are today – our world evolved around New Castle and Henry County.
“And many of the people and many of the memories that mean the most to us are still there. The farther our lives have taken us from it, the more it’s come to feel like home.”
— Improvised from Steve Kornacki’s Salon Essay

This essay reminds me of the strong connection we all have to our hometowns – the places and people who shared our formative years. Celebrating our 35th year, it also reminds me of the strong thread the Henry County Community Foundation weaves through our lives, and celebrates our shared support and love of good we can accomplish together.

If you donated a dollar 35 years ago to the Foundation, that dollar is still doing important work today. People come first, but building something together with our dollars combined allows us to support the hungry who have surfaced in this Pandemic, provide a mentor for a child, gave hope and created a safe place to be – where we can enjoy a walk on a trail without traffic or an outing in nature that calms our souls. It is these people you are helping, and places that are created by your donations to the Foundation.

I am retiring at the end of 2020. Whether I’m here as the president or not, the life of the Henry County Community Foundation will continue because everyone is invited to join us. It takes a staff of five, a board of 15 directors, 60 plus committee members, and donations from people like you who keep us moving through the Never Ending Story. I wish you all Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, and I have found these things from working with all of you who are reading this because you made a contribution that will live on forever and has touched my life.

Thank you for your support and love of our hometown community – where we all belong. I hope you continue to support the Foundation now and in the future. I will, and together we will echo into eternity.

By: Beverly Matthews