History

Good people doing great things marked the beginning of The Community Foundation. Through the interest and efforts of a small group of civic-minded individuals, a non-profit charitable organization was born. This organization was established to help improve the quality of life for the West Chester and Liberty Township residents. With their vision of how much a community foundation could benefit our area, the founding members were as follows: Patti Alderson, Cindy Allen, Greg Amend, Debbie Boehner, Sandy Brueshaber, Missy Deters, Jim Dodge, Eric Ellis, Larry Erp, Stu Eversole, Rhonda Ford, Brenda Frazier, Cindy Hobbs, Otto Keeton, Pam Krieger, Lew Ann Lawhorn, Elsa Lindenschmidt, Kathy Maurer, Mary McConnell, Fr. Jim Meade, Kim Satzger, Beth Thomas and Sandy Wheatley.

Initial funds came with the creation of the first event held in support of the American Cancer Society in 1994. The Key Event, a cocktail/dinner party held at several homes in the area raised more than $11,000. After three years of successful fundraising by The Key Event, volunteers and supporting area charities, the group decided instead of raising the monies for outside organizations, they would begin to focus on the needs of West Chester and Liberty Township residents. And in the next two years, the Key Event raised more than $45,000 for Reach Out Lakota.

In 1999, based on the growth of the two communities and the needs within those communities, The Community Foundation was born.