Everyone who visits Somerset notes the community pride and sense of place that residents past and present exemplify. Notable community traditions like the Fourth of July fireworks, the Memorial Day parade, and the Small Town Christmas event bring community members and organizations together to celebrate Somerset’s community spirit.

Established in 2013, the Somerset Community Fund supports these events that bring the Somerset community together by giving back to it. The Fund was created with a gift from the estate of Mary Beacham, a longtime math teacher in the Northern Local School District. With this gift, a committee of Somerset residents created an endowment fund that will provide a permanent source of support for the Somerset community and the events that distinguish it from others.

Recently, an anonymous donor generously gave a matching gift to the Somerset Community Fund. For every dollar up to $3,000 that the Somerset Community Fund raises, each will be matched by an anonymous donor. Gifts to the Fund will be used to give back to the community through a variety of grants supporting community traditions new and old, bringing residents and visitors alike to the community.

The Somerset Community Fund was established  to create a permanent resource for the Somerset community. A member of the Community Foundation for Perry County’s Family of Funds, the Somerset Community Fund inspires local philanthropy to ensure a dynamic quality of life in the Somerset community.

Gifts to the Somerset Community Fund are tax deductible and can be made in many ways, including cash, bequests, and life insurance. Donations can be made online at www.AppalachianOhio.org by designating the Somerset Community Fund when donating. To mail your donation, please designate the Somerset Community Fund and mail to PO Box 456, Nelsonville, Ohio 45764.

To learn more about the Somerset Community Fund and how you can support grantmaking and investments in your local community, please visit www.AppalachianOhio.org or call the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio at 740.753.1111.