Scott Griffith, a New Carlisle Rotary board member and Stronger Together planning committee member, presented the checks at a rotary meeting for $33,333 each to representatives from the three local organizations, including Jennifer Brentlinger of The Barrett Strong Foundation, Jannette Radford of Tecumseh Strong, and Beth Freeman, president of the New Carlisle Rotary Club.
These funds raised at the event will support a wide range of initiatives, including student scholarships, leadership programs, pediatric cancer research, and essential community services throughout Clark County and beyond.
This year’s Stronger Together event, founded in 2021, “demonstrated the power of community collaboration.” It included over 400 attendees such as students who received scholarships and won prizes, and all labor was provided by volunteers including students from Northwestern and Tecumseh local schools.
The event raised more than $182,000, with net proceeds exceeding $100,000, which were generated through sponsorships and a variety of activities including a Bourbon Tasting, Live Auction, Silent Auction, 50/50 tickets, Raffle Items, and an online auction.
“This event showcased what can be achieved when the community unites for a common cause,” Gelhar said. “The success of the (this year’s) event was made possible by the generosity and dedication of many donors, sponsors, and volunteers. The organizers expressed their deep gratitude to everyone who contributed time, financial support, and resources, highlighting that it is the collective efforts of the entire community that make such a significant impact possible.”
The New Carlisle Rotary Club, founded in 1972, supports local schools, students, teachers and citizens through programs like Positive Behavior Intervention Support, as well as local groups and organizations like the New Carlisle Library, Quest Boy Scouts of America, Period Kits Ohio and the Salvation Army.
Tecumseh Strong, formed in 2019 after Tecumseh student Colling Griffin lost his battle with cancer in 2018, is focused on building leadership within the Tecumseh Local School and athletic community. Funds benefit student-athletes at the high school with scholarships, youth sports programs and leadership activities, as well as offering free opportunities for youth football and cheer.
The Barrett Strong Foundation, created in 2019 in memory of Barrett Fitzsimmons who was diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer when he was six years old, focuses on supporting pediatric cancer research, the hospital department that treated him, and families with children facing cancer. Funds also provide scholarships for Clark County students and support the Ronald McDonald House of Dayton.
Last year, the three organizations awarded over 30 scholarships to students pursuing higher education and trade schools.
For more information, visit the website at StrongerTogether.one and the Facebook page at StrongerTogetherClarkCounty.
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