Press Release: June 2, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tami Durrence, Director of Supporting Foundations,  614/251-4000 x 133
                 

Columbus, OH (June 2, 2008)—Six nonprofit organizations working in and near Miami County will benefit from grants totaling $185,500 from The Paul G. Duke Foundation.  The announcement was made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees at its May meeting. Since its start in 1984, The Duke Foundation’s statewide grantmaking totals almost $16 million, the majority of it in the Miami County region.

The Trustees of The Paul G. Duke Foundation honor Mr. Duke’s concern for children, families, and the most needy members of community, but also hope to have a lasting effect on the community. The six Miami County nonprofit organizations receiving 2008 grants from The Duke Foundation are:

• Family Connection of Miami County, Inc., to support a supervised visitation center where families and children in crisis due to separation or divorce are assisted in maintaining positive relationships and forging new ones.
• Flesh Public Library Development and Assistance Fund, to help furnish the Children's Department of a newly renovated public library in Piqua, creating a safe, positive and attractive space that will encourage learning and literacy.
• Hospice of Miami County, Inc., to support the Generations of Life School Bereavement Program, which provides children and teens with age-appropriate learning materials, time and space as they come to terms with their loss and grief.
• The Future Begins Today, based in Troy, to sustain programs designed to encourage academic and career success for Troy’s students.  These programs range from help with homework in elementary school to scholarship support for graduating high school students.
• Miami County Dental Clinic, to help fund initial start-up expenses.  This new clinic will serve area residents who are on Medicaid, who do not have sufficient insurance or who have none at all.

• Piqua Heritage Festival, Inc., to help fund children's educational programs and entertainment during the 2008 Festival on Labor Day Weekend.  This will be the 26th annual Festival, which last year attracted over 94,000 visitors.

A native of Warren County, Mr. Duke came to the Troy area after World War II. He and his son, the late Richard Duke, operated a sod farm and the Duke Garden Centers in Troy and Piqua. The centers evolved into ChemLawn Corporation in 1968. Prior to the sale of the business in 1987, ChemLawn was a coast-to-coast business providing residential and commercial services for lawn, tree, and shrub care.

 “My father was a family man who wanted to help improve the lives of Miami County citizens,” said Patricia Duke Robinson, Mr. Duke’s daughter who serves as president of The Paul G. Duke Foundation. “He believed that through his commitment to our community, he could bring greater awareness to educational and social issues in Miami County.” 

Current members of The Paul G. Duke Foundation’s Board of Trustees are: Patricia Duke Robinson, president; Paul A. Hanke, Esq., vice president; Dr. B. Mark Hess, vice president; Ronald B. Scott, vice president; and Thekla R. Shackelford, vice president.