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 Circle of Inclusion logoCircle of Inclusion

The Circle of Inclusion was created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Gay Community Endowment Fund. As we prepare for the fund's 25th anniversary, we're relaunching the circle with five tiers that make giving both accessible and sustainable. As a contributor to the Circle of Inclusion, your campaign gifts will advance the Greater Akron LGBTQ+ community's right to live safely, openly and authentically. Donors to the circle receive special recognition for their role in growing the endowment and First-to-Know communications about the fund's latest news. To learn more about the Circle of Inclusion, please contact Deb Hoffman.

Give Online     Pledge Form    Impact Grants

 

For online gifts, please select "This is a campaign gift" on the giving form. You may also choose to set up a payment plan for up to three years by selecting "Contact me about recurring billing." A member of our finance team will reach out to you to set up your payments.

Circle of Inclusion Donors

As of Jan. 5, 2026

Benefactor Tier Donor

The Rev. David Hefling, in memory of The Rev. Michael DeVere Dudley
The Rev. Dr. Sandy Selby

Advocate Tier Donors

Gregory Hail & Matthew Culler
Dr. Kate Raymond & Michelle Krocker

Ally Tier Donors

Erik & Stephanie Davis
Jim & Cheryl Nilsen

Inclusion Tier Donors

Adam & Tracy Besenyodi
Tom & Julia Besenyodi
Tom & Dona Cardone
Michael Derr & Greg Sterling
The Honorable Carol Dezso
Dr. Dorothy Erb
John F. Garofalo & Matt Melton
Mike Gunter & Tom Heggen
Eric Jones & Bob Kish
Julie Jones, in honor of Dr. Kate Raymond
Drs. Andi & Eric Jopperi
Dianne Kerr
Toby & Keith Liechty-Clifford
Phil Montgomery & Andrew Schuellerman
Cheryl Morse & Debbie Peterson
Dr. Steven Paris & Hal E. Augsburger
Mickey & Angie Remen
Chad Silvey & Allan Shillingburg

Pride Tier Donor

Thomas N. Kintz
Jonathan Oldaker & Michael Sabo

Inaugural Circle of Inclusion Donors

Virginia Addicott
Anonymous
Drs. Mark & Sandy Auburn
Lisa Aurilio & Dianne LaCerva
Adam & Tracy Besenyodi
Dona & Tom Cardone
Cindy Christman
The Honorable Carol Dezso
Diebold Foundation
Constance Dubick
John F. Garofalo & Matt Melton
Ellen Garrett
Stephannie Garrett
Jenn Gaylor
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
John Grafton & Richard Worswick
Gregory Hail & Matthew Culler
Rabbi David & Toby Horowitz
Eric Jones & Bob Kish
Julie Jones & Mishelle Harriger
Ed & Audrey Kancler
Doug & Kathy Kohl
Dr. Kate Raymond and Michelle Krocker
Ross & Heather Licata
Bob & Babette Medcalf
Barbara Marie and Marilyn S. Minney
Phil Montgomery & Andrew Schuellerman
J. Brent Pawlecki
Steven P. Schmidt & Richard J. Krochka
Dr. Jeremy Troxler

Cornerstone Society logo with multicolored geometric mark and the text

Cornerstone Society

The Cornerstone Society celebrates those who have named the Gay Community Endowment Fund in a planned gift, such as a bequest, charitable gift annuity or life insurance policy. Their foresight and generosity ensures the fund will continue to support Greater Akron's LGBTQ+ community in perpetuity. It's simple to join; contact Deb Hoffman for more information. 

Dwite Barger
Paul A. Daum*
Judge Carol J. Dezso
John Grafton & Richard Worswick
Eric J. Jones
Thomas N. Kintz
Toby & Keith Liechty-Clifford

Timothy Maynard & Dr. Ernest W. Stone Jr.
Cheryl Morse & Debra Peterson
Steven P. Schmidt & Richard J. Krochka
Peter Schofield*
Christopher P. Sullivan

*Deceased

Honorary Gifts

From April 1 to Oct. 31, 2025

John F. Garofalo by
Anonymous
Drs. Mark & Sandy Auburn
Robert & Judy Wilson

Memorial Gifts

From April 1 to Oct. 31, 2025

The Rev. Michael Dudley by
The Rev. David Hefling

Robert Whitfield by
Steven P. Schmidt & Richard J. Krochka

All Donors

From April 1 to Oct. 31, 2025, the following donors contributed gifts and services to the Gay Community Endowment Fund or the GCEF Scholarship Fund to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Greater Akron. We're grateful for their generosity.

Virginia Addicott
Erin Ahrens
The City of Akron
Akron Art Museum
Akron Children's
Akron Community Foundation
Akron Pride Festival
Akron Symphony Orchestra
The Akron Urban League
The Akron Zoo
Carlie Ali-Hassan
Beth Amer
Art Antalvari & Anne Gatti
Anonymous (24)
Associated Designs—Trac Papish & Jonathan Lalewicz
Drs. Mark & Sandy Auburn
Danielle Bair
Lindsay Barba
Dwite Barger
The Bath Church
Nancy Baxter
James J. Brown
Leah Bennington
Jessica Berry
Kim Berry
Adam & Tracy Besenyodi
Maryann Betz
Muge Bilgin
Taylor Blanc
Rachel Blose
Piotr Bobkowski
Boddie & Associates Consulting LLC
Boeing Headquarters
The Bomb Shelter
Carolyn Bouquot
Brad & Amy Bowers
Jeannie Brandt
Nikki Bratt-Carr
Joanna Brown
Camille Brubaker
Drew Brubaker
Kelly Burdsall
Sandy Burgy
Tracy & Kelly Burt
Marian R. Calvin
Stewart Campbell
CANAPI
Tom & Dona Cardone
Deanna Carleton
Robert Carlyon
Leigh Carper-Gang
Charities Aid Foundation of America
Kassie Charnley
Linda Chiera
Paula Christ & Mark Griffin
Cindy Christman & Ruth Hotchkiss
Erika Christy
David Ciocca
Amanda Ciotti
Charlene Clamp & Robin Donald
Kerry Clawson
The Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Orchestra
Chip Clupper & Zebulon Keller
Commonwealth Properties, Inc.
Deborah Cowart
Pandora Cunningham
Vince Curry
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Gina Dalessandro
Lynette Daniel
Karen Daverio
Erik & Stephanie Davis
Meredith Davis
Traci Davis
Lisa Dean
Michael Derr & Greg Sterling
Buffy DeWitt
The Honorable Carol Dezso
Denise DiDomenico
Diebold Nixdorf Employee Charitable Fund
Kristin Dietz
Dawn Distler
Deb Dobol
Lisa Drew
Crystal Dunlevy
Vicki Earle
Ellen Eckhouse
Tom & Carla Eisenloffel
Scott Eller & Kelly Weiss-Eller
Dr. Dorothy Erb
Jennifer Esterle
Deborah Farris
Benjamin Fell
John Fisher
Nickolas & Debra Flesor
Alison Fort
Stephen Fritch
McKenica & Associates Allstate Agency - Tracy & Adam Besenyodi
Valerie McKitrick
Judge Kelly McLaughlin

Meglio Salon
Cindy Meismer
John Messina
Mr. Youssef Mhemedi
Julie Miller
Allison Millham
Mira Hair & Body Studio
Latonda Mobley
Kelly Mocarski
John F. Garofalo & Matthew Melton
Jamie Gellner
Brian Lamoda Genet
Catherine George
Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa
Daralee Ghinder
Glenn Goldney
Joseph Gould
John Grafton & Richard Worswick
Colleen Gray
Penny Gretsinger
Laura Grygorcewicz
JoAnne Grzegorek
Mike Gunter & Tom Heggen
Gregory Hail & Matthew Culler
Christine Hall
Karen A. Hammon
Adrienne Hanlon
Jenn Hansel
Erin Haran
Joyce Hargreaves
Dawn Harriman
Natalie & Seth Harrington
Kathy Harris
Michelle Harris
Phyllis Seven Harris
Miekeleen Hart
Louise Harvey
Jessica Haydu
Golnar Heaton
Theresa M. Heaton
Karen Heffernan
James L. Helmuth & Richard Shirey
Sharon Hershey
Amanda Hertvik
Patti Hester
Christine Hill
Laura Hill
Brenda Hillegass
Hilton Garden Inn Akron-Canton Airport
Debra M. Hoffman
Holden Forests & Gardens
Richard Hoselton
Nora Houser
Claudia Hower
Joseph Hug
Michelle Incanno
Adrian Jackson
Jennifer Jento
David L. Jesse
Amy Jones
Eric Jones & Bob Kish
Jodi Jones
Drs. Andi & Eric Jopperi
Amy Joyce
Lori Kancherla
Audrey & Ed Kancler
Nikolina Karovski
Heather Kempski
Dianne L. Kerr
Danielle Kimmell
Thomas N. Kintz
Kathy Kirk
Candy Kline
Michael Knapik & Mark Hostettler, M.D.
Doug & Kathy Kohl
Bridgette Kovacevich
Lynette Kreidler
Christopher Kuhn
Patricia Kurnot
Sandra Kurt
Moira LaJudice
Jim Lake
Lisa Lavy
Steve & Cathy Leuenberger
Toby & Keith Liechty-Clifford
Tonya Liedtke & Ida Daniels-Liedtke
Lindsay Ligas
Lora Lindeman
Allen Loew
Karin Lopper-Orr
Lucky Shoes Inc.
Whitney Malone
Eric & Lisa Mansfield
Kim Marron
Travis Maxwell
Phil Montgomery & Andrew Schuellerman
Barbara Moore
Jennifer Moore
Cheryl Morse & Debbie Peterson
Kim & Joe Mosyjowski
Mountaineer Casino Resort
Jacob Nash
Juli Neil

Sherry & Charles Neubert
Amanda Nierzwicki
Jim & Cheryl Nilsen
Robyn Nist
Michelle O'Connor
Ohio State Reformatory
Judge Joy Malek Oldfield, Summit County Common Pleas General Division
Heather Oplinger
Laura Oseredczuk
Alison & Griffin Oswald
Jodi Ott
Dr. Steven Q. Paris & Hal E. Augsburger
Stephanie D. Patterson
Margaret Ralston Payne
The Peanut Shoppe
Petitti Garden Centers
Earl Pierson
PNC Financial Services
William Pohlchuck
Jackie Popovec
Joyce Powell
Lynda L. Purser
Rachel Quinlan
Dorothy Rapp
Raymond Dental Group – Dr. Kate Raymond & Michelle Krocker
Gretchen & Loren Raymond
The Read Family
Mickey & Angie Remen
Elizabeth Resweber
Nancy Rice
Brett Riebau
Kim Rivers
Rick & Alita Rogers
Joyce Romansky
Diana Ross
Erika Ross
Janice Roszczyk
Nicole Rounick
Jill Ryan
Evelyn Samples
Michael & Donna Sapp
Shane Scarbrough
Steven P. Schmidt & Richard J. Krochka
Cynthia Morris Schostak
Linda Schuenaman
Steve Sedlock
Tristan Seiler & Derek Tholt
The Rev. Dr. Sandy Selby
Michele Setzer
Kara Shadeed
Lisa Shaheen
Beau & Lauren Shaniuk
Jennifer Shannon
Kenzie Shehadeh
Pamela Shell
Kathleen Shisler
The Siddall Family Fund
Chad Silvey & Allan Shillingburg
Susan Slaby
Sleep Health Solutions
Cynthia Snider
Andrew M. Snyder
Kathleen Sobleskie
Kathryn Soudry
Paul Sparano & John Welch
Joanne Stano
Julie Stanton
State & Federal Communications, Inc.
Stillpoint Therapeutics
Deb Strobel
Suncrest Gardens
Kevin Swartz
Elizabeth Swick
Colette Taylor
Janet & Bruce Taylor
Jeff Taylor
Sherell Taylor
Esther Thomas
Michelle B. Tognetti
Trotta's Power Washing Inc.
Dr. Jeremy Troxler
Unlimited Vacations & Cruises
Kim Ventresca
Victim Assistance Program
Sarah Visher
Erica Voorhes
Patricia Wagner
Chelsea Walton
Angie & Jay Wells
The West Side Bakery
Jennifer E. Wilcox
Jeanne Wilson
Jacqueline Wolf
Jeff Wolk
Janis Worley
Kathy Yarian
Susan Yingling
Yoga Bliss
Elissa Young
Debbie & Joseph Zarconi

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