Legacy Foundation invited community partners and supporters to the 32nd installment of its annual celebration. The attendees gathered in the Mike Anderson Chevrolet Event Center at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center to celebrate the accomplishments that Legacy Foundation has made this year and to honor individuals whose volunteerism and charitable acts set them apart. The event’s premier sponsors included Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), Methodist Hospitals, Horizon Bank, NiSource Charitable Foundation, Northern Trust, and TrueWealth Advising Group.
John Freyek, Legacy Foundation's board of directors chair and market president for Horizon Bank, considers the annual celebration to be an all-important event for the Lake County community.
“We think of this as more of a ‘friend-raising’ event than a fundraising event,” Freyek said. “Although raising funds is a core aspect of what we do, I think it’s important for people to know what our mission is, and that we take care of people all over Lake County. We want to spread the word about the new initiatives we’ll be implementing, such as the Community Heart and Soul partnership. Our goal is to give the public a better understanding of the depth and breadth of our programming and just how important it is to the community of Lake County that we serve. Hopefully, everyone here today walks away wondering how they can help, not only Legacy Foundation, but also their community as a whole.”
Legacy Foundation will be partnering with the organization Community Heart and Soul. Legacy Foundation also announced its Lake County Forever Campaign to support nonprofits that serve Lake County. Lilly Endowment, Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) VIII program has offered to match any donations to the Lake County Forever Campaign two-to-one. If it successfully reaches its $1,937,000 goal by June 30, 2025, Legacy Foundation will receive $3,875,000 from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
President and CEO of Legacy Foundation Kelly Anoe views the annual celebration as a unique opportunity to recognize Legacy Foundation’s past accomplishments and look forward to the ones to come.
“We often don’t reflect enough on what we at Legacy Foundation have done the previous year," Anoe said. “This event is an excellent opportunity to do so. The Dean and Barbara White Community Center is a great asset to our community and we’re happy to hold our annual celebration here. Today is all about celebrating the award recipients, our community, and our nonprofits. It also gives the guests a chance to network with friends and colleagues. I would like to thank all of our supporters, partners, and the community in general for coming together to make Lake County stronger. I hope that today’s celebration will inspire people to continue to work together to ensure a positive future for Lake County.”
Tory Prasco, former Legacy Foundation board chair, was given the Gold Key Award in recognition of the work he has done helping his clients incorporate philanthropic endeavors into the management of their estates. Ken Schoon received the Excellence in Nonprofit Board Leadership Award in recognition of his work as a founding board member of the Dunes Learning Center. Elena De Jesus received the Community Spirit Award for the significant contributions she has made to the Philippine Nurses Association and the Philippine Professionals Association during her nearly 50 years of nursing experience. Finally, Michael and Shelice Tolbert of Tolbert & Tolbert LLC received the Corporate Philanthropy Award for their extensive volunteerism and support of community initiatives.
Freyek affirms his commitment to supporting the Lake County community however possible.
“I’m a lifelong Lake County kid,” Freyek said. “I attended school in Highland, went to Purdue University Calumet - now Purdue University Northwest - and my wife, kids and I live in Winfield. For me, participating in Legacy Foundation is about giving back to the community that raised me. I believe it is incumbent upon those who can to contribute to the community and help make life better for others. I strongly believe that you should lift others as you climb, and tonight we are recognizing the people who have done just that. They didn’t do all of that great work for the awards, but they need to know that we appreciate them and that the things they do are honorable and necessary.”
The program closed with the unveiling of Legacy Foundation’s new “Along the South Shore Line” painting by artist Mitch Markovitz. This piece takes inspiration from the classic advertising posters from the 1920s that can still be seen in many locations throughout the Region today. Attendees could buy posters of the painting – which Markovitz was signing at a nearby table – in one of two sizes. The proceeds of these poster sales went towards the Lake County Forever initiative.
You can learn more about Legacy Foundation’s upcoming projects, events, and programs by visiting legacyfdn.org.
