Stories: Fundholder Stories

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...

Betty Axline, an Ellet native, spent nearly 40 years working as a secretary for some of the nation's most notable companies: Goodyear Aircraft, General Tire and Chemstrand/Monsanto.  She was a woman of modest means, yet every year she donated her last...

"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...

For art enthusiast Ron Allan, Akron is a fantastic place to live. It was this community where he cultivated his love for the arts and began immersing himself in organizations that promote both art and music. "Akron is so culturally rich," he said. "It is a...