Stories: Fundholder Stories

When Ed Schrank celebrated his 90th birthday with friends and family members two years ago, his most memorable gift was not something he received, but something he gave. A lifelong resident of Northeast Ohio, Ed rented a bus and took his large family on a...

When a retired schoolteacher and administrator passed away earlier this year, she left behind a lasting legacy in not only education, but also in charitable giving. Through a bequest in her will, the lifelong Summit County resident gave nearly $2.4 million to...

As a junior in the Jackson High School marching band, Jerry Wolf met a flashy young maestro who inspired him to turn his talent into a profession. For 29 years, Jerry did just that, himself inspiring students in the Southeast, Waterloo and Mogadore school...

The fever was familiar: It was the third time the infectious disease biologist had contracted malaria, a treatable but often deadly disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. "You have to dig deep and find out a lot about yourself," Victoria said....

It’s no surprise how important the holidays are to Mary Ann Jackson: She grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a town nicknamed "Christmas City, USA." For her, the season evokes memories of nativity pageants, caroling, and traveling house to house exchanging...

When Pam Moran met Dr. Kenneth Swanson, her world was upside down. Despite surgery, 70% of a tumor remained on her six-month-old son Derek’s brain, requiring two and a half years of chemotherapy and MRIs from Dr. Swanson every six months. "I was mad at the...

When Pam Perrin Kostoff recalls the history of Perrin Asphalt Company, she always comes back to a transformative moment in the 1980s. "It was the '80s," she said. "St. Eugene’s Church needed its parking lot done; it was just seal coating and striping." But,...

Pearl Leeper Korman grew up in Akron during the Great Depression, leaving college to work outside of the home, which was uncommon for women during this time. She worked full-time, even with a chronic medical condition, and went on to make a number of...

"When I was a child, philanthropy looked like a dress-up party," said Ann Durr, daughter of the late businesswoman and philanthropist Kathryn Hunter. "I remember going with my mom to Birnbaum’s. They had this room with a giant chandelier and a pedestal, and...

David and Cheryl Venarge are Akron success stories, but their success didn’t come easy. Now, through the David R. and Cheryl L. Venarge Fund, they’re keeping a family tradition of giving alive with both their children and grandchildren. Each was raised by...