When hundreds of out-of-town guests gathered in Muncie for
the Governor's Arts Awards in September, they discovered what Patrick and Marilyn
Cleary had learned many years earlier. "People in Delaware County are working
hard to make this a high quality community," says Marilyn, co-chair of the
effort that expanded the Friday night awards presentation into a three-day
cultural celebration. Studios opened their doors to the public, theater troupes
scheduled special performances, and the symphony planned a gala program-all to
showcase local talent. They earned rave reviews. "Over and over I heard
visitors say, 'I didn't know Muncie had all of this!'"
The Clearys had explored Muncie's art scene in the mid-'70s, when Patrick was in graduate school at Ball State University. His medical studies later took them to Columbus, Ohio, and St. Louis, Missouri, where Marilyn taught dance, managed a ballet company and worked for the American Red Cross. When it was time for Pat-now Dr. Cleary-to open his surgery practice in 1991, he lobbied for a return to Muncie. "Pat wanted to come back because he really liked this community," recalls Marilyn. As a way to reacquaint herself with Delaware County, Marilyn volunteered with the Festival of Trees and Lights, the Community Civic Center, Motivate Our Minds, the Children's Museum and, eventually, The Community Foundation. She found that Muncie had changed in her absence, and she liked the direction it was taking.
"People no longer were dwelling on the past and talking about how things used to be," she says. "The downtown was coming alive again; galleries and restaurants were opening up."
She also liked the direction The Community Foundation was taking to support nonprofit organizations and to promote philanthropy. Here, too, she saw changes. As a member of the Foundation's Grants Committee, she could share her thoughts about the important role that art and culture play in economic development. For example, a $5,000 grant to Cornerstone Center for the Arts helped sponsor a reception that was part of the Governor's Arts Awards program but was geared to local residents who wanted to sample the festivities at an affordable price. This drew a favorable response from the state officials in attendance.
In her role as chair of The Community Foundation's Development Committee, Marilyn has seen the positive impact of all gifts, regardless of their size. "At one time the Foundation was driven by large donations," she says. This is no longer the case. "Now we want the community to know that everyone can be part of this organization. A person doesn't have to be wealthy to start a fund at the Foundation."
To boost participation, the Development Committee-under her leadership-introduced the Acorn Fund in 2006. When she reflects on her work with the Foundation, she says she is most proud of adding the Acorn Fund to the list of opportunities available to donors. The concept is simple: A donor "plants a seed" with an initial gift of $1,000 and then has up to five years to build a charitable legacy of $10,000. At that point the fund achieves "oak" status and can make grants to benefit local organizations. Marilyn and Patrick were among the original donors who established Acorn Funds and they continue to "grow" their fund each year.
"Ours isn't a mighty oak yet," she jokes, "but we're already talking about what we want to support with its earnings. We'll probably give to the Foundation's Unrestricted Fund because the Grants Committee is very good at recognizing community needs and knowing how to meet them."
Marilyn will retire from the Foundation's board next year, but she has no plans to retire from community service. "Pat encourages me to work in the community," she says. "As a doctor, his time is so limited. He says I'm doing it for both of us."
