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Local News

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

University, nursing home share gift
Horizon Eyecare - Findlay
By MICHELLE REITER

STAFF WRITER

Two former Bluffton residents left their estate, estimated to be worth $1 million, to Bluffton University and Mennonite Home Communities.

The gift from James and Frieda Basinger, of Brisbee, Ariz., which was announced Tuesday, should mean $500,000 each for the university and the Mennonite Home Communities.

"We're very excited," said Julie Stratton, Mennonite Home Communities' director of marketing and public relations. "It's the largest donation we have ever received."

Robin Bowlus, a spokesperson for the university, said the gift is among the largest estate gifts the university has ever received as well.

Frieda Basinger died in September 2009 in Arizona and James died in 2005. Both Frieda and James were Bluffton High School graduates and Bluffton University alumni, but neither had lived in Bluffton for at least 40 years.

Bowlus said Tuesday the Basingers designated the money for scholarships.

As for the Mennonite Home Communities' share, no one knows what it will be used for, yet.

Stratton said the gift expanded the agency's foundation by 30 percent. She said the Basingers did not request that the money be used for a specific purpose, but the board will likely use it to benefit residents because that is what the Basingers would want.

The couple had several friends and acquaintances in the Mennonite Home, a few who were part of Frieda's 1936 Bluffton High School graduating class.

"Several of them got out their yearbooks and showed me her picture," Stratton said. "They said, 'We know these people; we went to school with them.'"

The last time the Basingers visited Bluffton was in 1986 at a 50th high school class reunion.

They lived in several other states after leaving Bluffton. James and Frieda married in 1940, and after spending time overseas in the service, he taught at Purdue University.

He later worked in the aeronautics industry in Los Angeles, then taught at a community college in Douglas, Ariz., for 17 years.

After James died, Frieda took a renewed interest in Bluffton and began giving the Mennonite Hone Communities money at Christmas, starting in 2006.

Stratton said she continued the tradition, saying she wanted to brighten the lives of the residents. The money was used to buy Christmas corsages or boutonnieres for residents.

With what was left over, the nursing home bought a Nintendo Wii for the residents.

Frieda continued to write to the nursing home.

"She wrote us several letters, but I never imagined we would be named in her will," Stratton said.

Bluffton University President James Harder said at a Tuesday morning press conference that the gift will benefit students for years to come.

Mennonite Home Communities President Laura Voth said that agency administrators were happily surprised at the gift and the amount, and are "deeply humbled that this delightful lady and her husband would want this much to bring joy to their hometown friends who were making their final home with us."

Reiter: 419-427-8497, Send an e-mail to Michelle Reiter


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"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

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The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

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Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

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The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.