When Del and Letty Newkirk moved to Brown County in 1991, Del said he found himself asking, “What am I going to do here?”
Little did he know that 30 years later, he and his wife Letty would be given an award for all they have done, and continue to do, in the community they call home.
The Brown County Community Foundation held its annual report to the community at the Brown County Playhouse on June 23, a night recognizing dedicated individuals, organizations and groups who help the community be stronger together, said BCCF Chief Executive Officer Maddison Miller.
The John D. Rudd Community Service Award is the highest award given to a Brown County volunteer, its winner a highly guarded secret, revealed at the end of the night.
The award is named for its first recipient, a revered public servant and volunteer whose name now graces the ball diamonds at Deer Run Park.
Last year’s award winner was Kim Robinson, director and CEO of the Brown County YMCA.
Per tradition, Robinson presented the award to this year’s winners who Miller said undoubtedly held a special place in Rudd’s heart. They all worked closely together at the beginning of the foundation’s history.
“Our winners have contributed decades-long service to the art and civic vitality of the community,” Robinson said.
She spoke about the couple before formally identifying them and presenting them with the award.
Del is a former restaurant entrepreneur and businessman, founder and first president of the Rotary Club of Brown County. He is also the founder and first CEO of the Brown County Community Foundation.
“A man who has extended his volunteering and expertise to organizations like the Sycamore Land Trust. He has raised millions of dollars for charitable efforts and was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash from Governor Frank O’Bannon in 2003,” Robinson said.
Letty is a former journalist. She has been a volunteer with Indiana University’s Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art docent corps for more than 15 years, giving educational tours and sharing knowledge about the museum’s art collections.
She also serves on the board of Indiana Heritage Arts and is currently leading the development of a documentary film “Brown County Art & Artists,” which highlights Hoosier artists keeping alive the beauty of Indiana’s landscape and its people. The documentary also received a grant award that evening.
“Of course, we’re talking about the dynamic duo of Letty and Del Newkirk,” Robinson said.
“They were directly involved in founding nonprofit organizations that both fundamentally changed this community and in doing so, created legacy organizations that will continue to enhance our quality of life for years to come,” Robinson continued.
“This summary of their work although brief, shows their brilliance, passion and stewardship. I am proud to award the 2022 John D. Rudd Award to Mr. and Mrs. Delano and Luzetta Newkirk.”
A standing ovation and round of applause were given to the couple as they made their way to the stage to accept the prestigious award.
Del said that he had received a spiritual calling to come to Brown County years ago.
“I came here in 1991 and said, ‘What am I gonna do here?’ The rest is history.”
Del believed in the concept of building a permanent fund for Brown County, joining a group of likeminded local individuals committed to the cause of launching the foundation.
In 1993 the BCCF was started, with an initiative announced by The Lilly Endowment Inc. LEI offered Indiana communities a challenge to establish local foundations, cultivating local philanthropy, to respond to local needs.
The first annual meeting was held in June 1994, where the president of the board, Barton Updike, introduced the board of directors and announced the Larry C. Banks Memorial Scholarship as the first endowed fund established by BCCF.
The BCCF was originally part of the Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County, until it could establish its own nonprofit status.
In 1995 Del became the first full-time executive director.
“Under his visionary leadership the Foundation’s influence and assets began to grow,” the BCCF website states.
He set out to raise $1 million to meet the $500,000 challenge grant from the Lilly Endowment. Although they fell slightly short, the BCCF held net assets of $899,993 and had accrued 64 funds, including nine scholarships, by the end of 1996.
Of his entire history, he said the majority of it — or 60 years — has been with his wife Letty.
“It’s amazing the dedication of volunteerism of Brown County people,” Letty told the crowd at the Playhouse. “Where else would you want to live?”
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‘Spirit of giving’
The foundation’s 2021 annual report was titled “Growing Stronger, Growing Together, Growing Philanthropy.”
“Our community is made up of many great organizations, civic groups and volunteers,” Miller said. “And the last few years of the pandemic have truly taught us that we are stronger together.”
Other awards given throughout the evening included the Volunteer of the Year Award, Chairman’s Award and the Environmental Leadership Award as well as other grants.
“While we celebrate these agents of change throughout our community, we know and understand that the good work we’re recognizing from last year could not have happened without the support of others who make our work possible,” Miller said.
Miller thanked the BCCF board of trustees, saying the volunteer group is made of “forward-thinking, insightful and entrepreneurial individuals ” who lead the foundation together.
“They follow the footsteps of those that came before us, as well as those who volunteer their time today to provide leadership and counsel. I am grateful for our team as well. Jenise Bohbrink and Sean Hildreth. Thank you for going above and beyond for the community,” Miller said.
Miller also thanked BCCF donors who she described as “charitable, enthusiastic and caring individuals, families and businesses who love the community, believe in the BCCF mission and have joined the movement to create a better, stronger tomorrow through philanthropy.”
“What an amazing and inspiring illustration of the spirit of giving and care that exists here in Brown County,” she said.
More community foundation honorees
Volunteers of the year
Two volunteers were presented the award for Volunteer of the Year, presented by Jan Mills, a member of the Brown County Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Mills said that choosing the winners was a difficult task, having to choose from a “great slate” of nominees.
Sunny Leerkamp and Laurie Teal were chosen as the winners, both nominated by Shari Frank for their work with the League of Women Voters of Brown County.
Leerkamp serves as co-vice president of LOVW. Mills said that she brings a wealth of expertise from serving 16 years as an elected county prosecutor, and serving with many other organizations to support women and advocate for children.
This past year, she volunteered to serve on the Indiana Citizen Redistricting Commission (ICRC). The ICRC originally was to work for about three months, but as 2020 Census data was released late, the commitment stretched into a project closer to nine months. Leerkamp was selected to serve on this commission from hundreds of applicants state-wide, along with eight others and three alternates. She was then selected to serve as chair of the commission.
Leerkamp and other ICRC members attended multiple legislative hearings on redistricting in Indianapolis and advocated for the concerns raised by the public. She also helped facilitate a community forum in Brown County to share information on redistricting. Leerkamp continues to serve as a special prosecutor, while finding time to be a leader in the LOWV and other community organizations.
“Sunny is passionate about working to strengthen our democracy and we feel very fortunate to enjoy her leadership in Brown County,” Mills said.
Teal is also co-vice president of the LOWV, stepping into the position a few years ago. Mills said she immediately began volunteering for just about every job that needs to be done, including the LOWV newsletter, aiming to educate the community on voting, candidates, history of Suffragists and continuing struggles for equity.
Teal also took a role in learning website skills for the LOWV website, to keep information updated on critical deadlines for voter registration, procedures for absentee ballots and everything else needed to help make sure voters could vote. Teal attended poll worker training, county election board meetings and served as a media watcher for the election.
“She was instrumental in a summer-long project, supporting the election board with detailed meeting notes to summarize information needed to improve poll worker training for future elections,” Mills said.
Teal volunteered as a tutor with Brown County Literacy Coalition and is a professional organizer, helping clients with life changes or just day-to-day needs. She authored the book “Nine Nights, Your New Little Black Book for Personal Financial Empowerment” to help individuals and couples develop financial literacy and take control of their futures.
She also volunteers with the Brown County Community Foundation, serving on a finance and investment review committee and is working to help update essential policies and procedures for the foundation.
“Laurie has become a source of strength and direction for the Brown County League and one of those rare volunteers willing to not only suggest ideas, but do the work to implement them,” Mills said.
Leerkamp and Teal will split a donation of $500 made to the charities of their choice.
Chairman’s award
BCCF Chairman Dwight Thompson presented Brown County Sheriff Scott Southerland with the Chairman’s Award.
Thompson read the Brown County Sheriff’s Department’s mission to the crowd.
“(It) states that their fundamental duty is to serve humankind; safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception; the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional Rights of all people to liberty, equality, and justice,” Thompson said.
“That is a high standard of care to the people of Brown County and tonight I am honored to present Sheriff Scott Southerland with the Foundation’s Chairman’s Award to both recognize him for a job well-done and to say thank you. Scott, your service has made Brown County a better place to pass through, to visit, and to call home.”
Thompson said as a fairly new resident to the community, having lived here for six-and-a-half years, he has consistently been impressed with Southerland’s approach to the leadership of the department and believes he has carried out the mission in a way that aligns well with many of the Community Foundation’s core values.
“Like we aspire to do, you have set a great example and have mobilized people and resources to make a positive impact, while recognizing the perspectives of our people in a way that reflects who we are to ensure all residents have the opportunity to thrive.”
Environmental Leadership Award
The Environmental Leadership Award and corresponding fund were started in 2007, awarding a person or organization which protects or improves the community’s greatest natural assets.
This year’s winner was the Brown County Public Library, recognized for their newly installed solar panel project.
The solar project was a massive undertaking, with construction starting last October.
The 324 solar panels in the project are expected to produce up to 162,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. The solar array is projected to offset more than 115 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, the equivalent of removing 25 automobiles from the road each year, Miller said.
Other grant winners
Without the diligence of the grants committee, reviewing applications and making award recommendations would be difficult, Miller said. The committee received nearly 33 applications for grant funding in 2022 totaling $295,957.
“These are not easy decisions to make, and we appreciate their thoroughness,” she said.
Grant winners include:
Access Brown County: $6,000, Access Brown County Veteran Transportation
Brown County 4-H Council: $1,000, 2022 4-H Camp enrollment subsidization
Brown County Art Guild, Inc.: $2,985.88, Donor and collection software project
Brown County Indiana Habitat for Humanity: $15,675.47, 2022 home build
Brown County Playhouse: $10,000, community theater start up funding
Brown County Weekend Backpacks, Inc.: $750, Brown County Weekend Backpack refrigerator
Centerstone of Indiana: $2,263, play therapy supplies for Brown County Schools and students
CLUB 5018 (indoor soccer and basketball league): $2,000, indoor sports floor
Do Something, Inc.: $4,000, “Trauma Reboot” training and informed counseling
Glory Girl Productions LLC: $2,500, Brown County Christkindl Market
Hamblen Township Civic League, Inc.: $900, parking lot and walking track repairs
Indiana Heritage Arts: $1,000, Brown County Art and Artists movie
Jackson Township Fire Department No. 5, Inc.: $5,8753, “A View for All” project with trail, ramp and platform railings for access for all children
Keep Brown County Beautiful: $4,480, dumpster and electronic days events
Living With Purpose Girls Outreach Ministry Inc.: $2,900, Operation Purpose and Pantry
Peaceful Valley Heritage Preservation Society, Inc.: $1,271.22, cemetery neglected jewels restoration efforts
RiverSong Music Inc.: $3,500, ChamberFest Brown County
Society of St. Vincent de Paul: $3,000, St. Vincent de Paul Back to School Program
Society of St. Vincent de Paul: $2,500, St. Vincent de Paul building project for storage of non-food pantry items
The Career Resource Center of Brown County: $7,000, CRC certification scholarships
Turning Point Domestic Violence Services Brown County: $1,950, laptop for Brown County community services director
