How to Help Older Drivers Give Up the Car Keys

What tips can you recommend that can help me deal with my mom's bad driving? At age 83, her driving abilities have declined, but I know she's bound and determined to keep driving as long as she's alive.
There's no doubt that giving up driving can be a tough step for many elderly people, as well as a difficult conversation for concerned family members. While there's no one way to handle this sometimes touchy topic, there are a number of tips and resources that can help you evaluate and adjust your mom's driving, and ease her out from behind the wheel when she can no longer drive safely.

Assess Her Driving

To get a clear picture of your mom's driving abilities, your first step—if you haven't already done so—is to take a ride with her and watch for problem areas. For example: Does she drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate or drift between lanes? Does she have difficulty seeing, backing up or changing lanes? Does she react slowly, get confused easily or make poor driving decisions? Also, has your mom had any fender benders or tickets lately, or have you noticed any dents or scrapes on her vehicle? These, too, are red flags. For more assessment tips see SeniorDriverChecklist.info.
If you need help with this, consider hiring a driver rehabilitation specialist who's trained to evaluate older drivers. This typically runs between $100 and $200. Visit AOTA.org/older-driver or ADED.net to locate a specialist in your area.

Transitioning and Talking

After your assessment, if you think it's still safe for your mom to drive, see if she would be willing to take a driving course tailored for seniors.
These courses will show her how aging affects driving skills, and offers tips and adjustments to help ensure her safety. Taking a class may also earn your mom a discount on her auto insurance. To locate a class, contact your local AAA (AAA.com) or AARP (AARP.org/drive, 888-227-7669). Most courses cost around $20 to $30 and can be taken online or in a classroom.
If, however, your assessment shows that your mom really does need to stop driving, you need to have a talk with her, but don't overdo it. If you begin with a dramatic outburst like "Mom, you're going to kill someone!" you're likely to trigger resistance. Start by simply expressing your concern for her safety.
For more tips on how to talk to your mom about this, the Hartford Financial Services Group and MIT AgeLab offer a variety of resources at TheHartford.com/lifetime - click on "Publications" on the menu bar, then on the "We Need To Talk" guidebook.

Refuses To Quit

If your mom refuses to quit, you have several options. One possible solution is to suggest a visit to her doctor who can give her a medical evaluation, and if warranted, prescribe that she stops driving.
If she still refuses, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles to see if they can help. Or, have an attorney discuss the potential financial and legal consequences of a crash or injury with your mom. If all else fails, you may have to take away her keys and set her up with alternate transportation.

Alternative Transportation

Once your mom stops driving she's going to need other ways to get around, so help her create a list of names and phone numbers of family, friends and local transportation services that she can call on.
To find out what transportation services are available in her area, contact the Rides in Sight (RidesInSight.org, 855-607-4337) and the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116), which will direct you to her area agency on aging for assistance.
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published February 3, 2017

How to Improve a Kitchen's Accessibility

A while back you wrote a column on how to make a bathroom safer and easier to use. What about the kitchen? At 80, my mother still loves to cook, but has arthritis and some mobility challenges that make it difficult for her. What kitchen accessibility tips can you recommend?
The standing, bending, reaching, gripping and lifting that often comes with cooking makes the kitchen one of the most challenging rooms in the house for individuals with accessibility issues to use. Here's what you can do.

Small Modifications

There are simple solutions and inexpensive add-ons that can make a big difference in making your mom's kitchen safer and easier to maneuver. Consider these tips:

Cabinets: Start by reorganizing your mom's kitchen cabinets so that the items she frequently uses are within comfortable reach. You can also make her cabinets and pantry more accessible by installing pull-out shelves or lazy susans, or for the hard-to-reach upper shelves, a pull-down shelving system. D-shaped pull-handles for the cabinets and drawers are also recommended because they're more comfortable for arthritic hands to grasp than knobs.
Lights: Aging eyes need more light, so install the highest wattage bulbs allowed in your mom's fixtures. To brighten up her kitchen countertops, add task lighting under her cabinets.
Faucet: If she has twist handles on the faucet, replace them with easy-to-turn lever handles, an ADA compliant faucet with a single lever handle or the new Delta touch technology faucet. For safety purposes, set your mom's hot water tank at 120 degrees to prevent water burns.
Stove: If her vision is poor, clearly mark the controls on her stove or replace her dial controls with larger, easier to read dials. And if memory is an issue, an automatic stove shut-off device (see cookstop.com, stoveguardintl.com and pioneeringtech.com) is a smart solution.
Microwave: If your mom's microwave is mounted above her stove, consider moving it to a countertop. It makes it safer and easier to reach.
Other areas: If she has kitchen throw rugs, reduce the possibility of tripping by securing them to the floor with double-sided rug tape or replacing them with non-skid floor mats. If standing for long periods causes her problems, get a kitchen stool so she can sit down while she works. To help her arthritic hands, invest in some OXO Good Grip (oxo.com) or other ergonomic kitchen utensils.

User-Friendly Appliances

If you're looking to buy your mom some new appliances, manufacturers like General Electric, Whirlpool, Bosch, Siemens and others make a variety of products designed with accessibility in mind. Here's what to look for:

Refrigerator/freezer: Side-by-side doors work well because the frequently used items (refrigerated and frozen) can be placed at mid-shelf range for easy access. Pull-out adjustable height shelves and water/ice dispenser on the outside of the door are also very convenient.
Dishwasher: Drawer-designed dishwashers that slide in and out are very handy. Have it installed on a raised platform (6 to 10 inches) to eliminate bending over.
Stove or cooktop: Look for one with the controls at the front so your mom won't have to reach over hot burners to turn it off; and make sure the controls are easy to read and use. Flat surface burners or continuous grates on gas stoves are also great for sliding heavy pots and pans from one burner to the next. Also ask about automatic shut off burners.
Oven: Self-cleaning ovens are a plus—consider a side-swing door model. They're easier to get into because you don't have to lean over a hot swing-down door. Also consider a wall-mounted oven, installed at your mom's preferred height to eliminate bending.
Washer and dryer: Front-load washers and dryers with pedestals that raise the height 10 to 15 inches are back-savers and easy to access.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published January 27, 2017

How to Guard Against Medicare Fraud

What are the steps people need to take if they suspect Medicare fraud?
Medicare fraud costs taxpayers more than $60 billion every year, making it one of the most profitable crimes in America. Here's what you should know, along with some tips for preventing, detecting and reporting it if it happens to you.

What is Medicare fraud?

In a nutshell, Medicare fraud happens when Medicare is purposely billed for services or supplies that were never provided or received. Here are a few examples of some different types of Medicare fraud:

A healthcare provider bills Medicare for services you never received.
A supplier bills Medicare for equipment you never received.
Someone uses your Medicare card to get medical care, supplies or equipment.
A company offers a Medicare drug plan that has not been approved by Medicare.
A company uses false information to mislead you into joining a Medicare plan.

What You Can Do

The best way for you to spot Medicare fraud is to review your quarterly Medicare Summary Notices (MSN) or your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Be on the lookout for things like charges for medical services, medications or equipment you didn't get, dates of services and charges that look unfamiliar or if you were billed for the same thing twice. You can also check your Medicare claims early online at MyMedicare.gov (you'll need to create an account first) or by calling Medicare at 800-633-4227.
If you do spot any unusual or questionable charges, your first step is to contact your doctor or health care provider. The charge may just be a simple billing error. If, however, you can't resolve the problem with the provider, your next step is to report the questionable charges to Medicare at 800-633-4227 or to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Fraud hotline at 800-447-8477.
When you call, have the MSN or EOB with the questionable charges handy because you'll need to provide them with the following information: your Medicare card number; the physician, supplier, and/or facility name where the service was supposedly provided; the date the service was rendered; the payment amount approved and paid by Medicare; as well as the reason you think Medicare shouldn't have paid. As an incentive, if the suspicious activity you report turns out to be fraud, you may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
If you need help identifying or reporting Medicare fraud or resolving your Medicare billing errors, contact your state Senior Medicare Patrol program, which provides free assistance. Go to smpresource.org or call 877-808-2468 for contact information.

Protect Yourself

To help you protect yourself from becoming a victim of Medicare fraud, you need to guard your Medicare card like you would your credit cards, and don't ever give your Medicare or Social Security number to strangers. Also, don't ever give out your personal information to someone who calls or comes to your home uninvited to get you to join a Medicare plan. Medicare will never call or visit your home to sell you anything.
It's also a smart idea to keep records of your doctor visits, tests, and procedures so you can compare them with any suspicious charges on your MSN or EOB.
For more tips and information on how to protect yourself from Medicare fraud, visit StopMedicareFraud.gov.
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published January 20, 2017

Free Basketball Tickets To SCS Students on January 28th

Due to the generosity of Stanley Colglazier and Sara Colglazier to the Washington County Community Foundation, students of Salem Community Schools will receive free tickets to the January 28, 2017 JV and Varsity basketball games versus Eastern High School. Students may enter through any door accessible to the gymnasium and will need to sign-in for entrance to the game. Salem students are strongly encouraged to wear Salem or black and gold attire. The tickets are available for students attending Salem Community Schools in grades K-12; however, students in elementary school are required to be accompanied by an adult. This is a great way to spend quality time together as a family while showing school spirit. This is also a great idea for a Boy Scout, Girl Scout, 4-H club, church youth group, or other group field trip. Be sure to take advantage of these free tickets as the Lions face off against county rivals, the Musketeers. For questions regarding tickets, please call the Washington County Community Foundation at 883-7334 or SHS athletic director, Hank Weedin at 883-3904.

WCCF Salem Giving Tree Fund Awards Grants to Salem Teachers

Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something and those somethings add up. In this case, the somethings are a couple of dollars out of each paycheck for Salem Community Schools employees that choose to give to the Salem Community Schools Giving Tree Fund.

This year, four Salem Community Schools educators were awarded grants from the fund.

Pam Barry’s Kindergarten classroom will be learning STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) activities geared to develop thinking skills, reasoning, teamwork, investigative, and creative skills that students can use throughout life.

Students in Brooke Ingram’s Kindergarten class will be using the Osmo system. The system will give students a new way of interacting with classroom IPads by utilizing a special pencil. Students will be able to work independently while others are working in small groups.

Third grade teachers, Emily Johnson and Crystal Mikels, are collaborating to continue the Ready Set Make STEM Club. Students will meet after school to develop problem solving skills in the realm of STEM.

Washington County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1993 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Washington County forever

End

Tax Help for Caregiver of Elderly Parents

Are caregiving expenses tax deductible? I provide a lot of financial support to my elderly mother and would like to find out if I can write any of it off on my taxes.
There are actually several tax deductions and credits available to adult children who take care of their aging parents or other relatives. Here are your options along with the IRS requirements to help you determine if you're eligible to receive them.

Dependency Deduction

If you're paying for more than 50% of your mom's living costs (housing, food, utilities, medical and dental care, transportation and other necessities), and her 2016 gross income (not counting her Social Security benefits) was under $4,050, you can claim your mom as a dependent on your tax return and reduce your taxable income by $4,050.
Note that your mom doesn't have to live with you to qualify as a dependent, as long as her income was under $4,050 and you provided more than half her financial support.
If your mother does live with you, you can include a percentage of your mortgage, utilities and other expenses in calculating how much you contribute to her support. IRS Publication 501 (see irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf) has a worksheet that can help you with this. To receive this, or other IRS publications or forms via mail, call 800-829-3676.

Shared Support

If you share the financial responsibility for your mom with other siblings, you may be eligible for the IRS multiple-support declaration. Here's how this works. If one sibling is providing more than half the parent's financial support, only that sibling can claim the parent. But if each sibling provides less than 50% support, and their combined assistance exceeds half the parent's support, then any sibling who provides more than 10% can claim the parent as a dependent. But only one sibling can claim the tax break in any given year. Siblings can rotate the tax break, with one claiming the parent one year and another the next. The sibling who claims the parent as a dependent will need to fill out IRS Form 2120 (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2120.pdf) and file it with his or her tax return.

Medical Deductions

If you can't claim your mom as a dependent, you may still get a tax break for helping pay her medical costs. The IRS lets taxpayers deduct money spent on a parent's health care and qualified long-term care services, even if the parent doesn't qualify as a dependent.
To claim this deduction, you still must provide more than half your mom's support, but your mom doesn't have to be under the $4,050 income test. The deduction is limited to medical, dental and long-term care expenses that exceed 10% (or 7.5% if you're 65 by Dec. 31, 2016) of your adjusted gross income. You can include your own medical expenses in calculating the total. See IRS publication 502 (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf) for details.

Dependent Care Credit

If you're paying for in-home care or adult day care for your mom so you are free to work, you may also be able to claim the Dependent Care Tax Credit, regardless of whether or not your mom qualifies as a dependent on your tax return. This credit can cut up to $1,050 off your tax bill for the year. In order to claim it, you must fill out IRS Form 2441 (irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2441.pdf) when you file your federal return.

Check Your State

In addition to the federal tax breaks, more than 20 states offer tax credits and deductions for caregivers on state income taxes. Check with your state tax agency to see what's available. For links to state tax agencies see taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies.
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published January 13, 2017

How to Organize Your Affairs

My wife and I would like to get our personal and financial affairs in order so our kids will know what's going on if we get sick or die. What tips can you offer?
Organizing your key information and getting your personal and financial affairs in order is a great gift to your loved ones.
To help you get started, your first step is to gather up all of your important personal, financial and legal information so you can arrange it in a format that will benefit you now and your loved ones later.
Then you'll need to sit down and create various lists of important information and instructions of how you want certain things handled when you die or if you become incapacitated. Here's a checklist of areas you need to focus on.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Contacts: Make a master list of names and phone numbers of close friends, clergy, doctors, and professional advisers such as your lawyer, accountant, broker and insurance agent.
Medical information: Include a list of medications you and your spouse take, along with any allergies and illnesses.
Personal documents: Include such items as your birth certificates, Social Security cards, marriage license, military discharge papers, etc.
Secured places: List all the places you keep under lock and key or protected by password, such as safe deposit boxes, safe combination, security alarms, etc.
Service providers: Provide contact information of the companies or people who provide you regular services such as utility companies, lawn service, etc.
Pets: If you have a pet, give instructions for the care of the animal.
End of life: Indicate your wishes for organ and tissue donation (see organdonor.gov), and write out your funeral instructions. If you've made pre-arrangements with a funeral home include a copy of agreement, their contact information and whether you've prepaid or not.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Will, trust and estate plan: Include the original copy of your will and other estate planning documents you've made.
Financial power of attorney: This document names someone you trust to handle money matters if you're incapacitated.
Advance health care directives: These documents (see caringinfo.org) - a living will and medical power of attorney - spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment when you can no longer make decisions for yourself.

FINANCIAL RECORDS

Financial accounts: Make a list of all your bank accounts, brokerage and mutual fund accounts and any other financial assets you have.
Debts and liabilities: Make a list of any loans, leases or debt you have - mortgages owed, car loans, student loans, medical bills, credit card debts. Also, make a list of all credit and charge cards, including the card numbers and contact information.
Company benefits: List any retirement plans, pensions or health benefits from your current or former employer including the contact information of the benefits administrator.
Insurance: List the insurance policies you have (life, long-term care, home, auto, Medicare, Medigap, prescription drug, etc.) including the policy numbers, agents and phone numbers.
Property: List real estate, vehicles and other properties you own, rent or lease and include documents such as deeds, titles, and loan or lease agreements.
Taxes: Include the location of your tax records and your tax preparer's contact information.

Keep all your organized information and files together in one convenient location, ideally in a fireproof filing cabinet or safe in your home. Also be sure to review and update it every year, and don't forget to tell your loved ones where they can find it.
If you need help, get a copy of 12 Critical Things Your Family Needs to Know. This is an excellent 60-page workbook available at 12criticalthings.com for $15 or $19 for the downloadable versions, or $25 for a printed copy.
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published January 6, 2017

Local Football Players Turnover Hunger

Issue a challenge to high school football players, sit back, and watch what happens.

Several months ago, our local football teams were challenged to raise money for the Food Bank Fund in the Washington County Community Foundation by getting friends and family to pledge a certain dollar amount for every turnover that they forced.

This was a new activity and no one knew how it would go.

Our kids, however, rise to the occasion when they are challenged. In total, our high school players raised over $5,900.00 in pledges for the Food Bank Fund.

“For the short amount of time we gave ourselves for this project, we are very excited about the outcome,” said Andrew Burks, member of the West Washington coach staff. “A lot of the credit goes to our community foundation, to Judy and Lindsey. They really made it easy on us.”

“A big thank you also goes out to Luke, RJ, and Phillip, as well as the many, many people who gave.”

Plans are to make this an annual fundraiser.

“With proper planning and increased awareness, we hope to double the amount raised next year,” said Burks. “Moreover, we are working with other southern Indiana coaches from other counties and their foundations to turn this into to a positive program for our entire region.”

The mission of the Washington County Community Foundation is to engage people, build resources and strengthen our community. Visit the website at www.wccf.biz and like the Foundation on Facebook.

Discount Benefits for Baby Boomers

What types of discounts are available to baby boomers, at what age do they kick in and what's the best way to go about finding them?
One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available to boomers and seniors.
There are thousands of available discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, automotive services and much more. These discounts typically range between 5% and 25% off and can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year.
Here are some tips and tools to help you find these discounts.

Always Ask

The first thing to know is that most businesses don't advertise discounts, but many give senior discounts when asked if one is available.
You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65.

Search Online

Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of the year, an online search is the easiest way to help you locate current discounts.
To do a search, start by visiting SeniorDiscounts.com, which lists thousands of discounts that you can search for by city and state and by category.
You can also look for discounts at TheSeniorList.com, which provides a large list of national and regional business chains that offer them. You can also go to Google.com and type in the business or organization you're curious about, followed by "senior discount" or "senior discount tickets."
If you use a smartphone, another tool is the Sciddy app (see Sciddy.com). This app lets you search for senior discounts and can send you alerts when you're at an establishment that offers them.

Join a Club

Another way to receive senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, Seniors Coalition or the American Seniors Association. AARP, for example, offers its 50 and older members a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses and sponsors.
For federal workers, there's also the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

Types of Discounts

Here's an abbreviated list of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find.
Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast food establishments, including Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Wendy's, Applebee's and Golden Corral. These discounts range from free or discounted drinks to discounts off your total order.
Retailers: Many thrift stores and retailers offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week. Some of these stores include Goodwill, Banana Republic, Kohl's, Michaels and Ross.
Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like Albertsons, Kroger, Publix and Fry's Supermarkets. Some offer discounts on certain days of the week but they vary by location.
Travel: Southwest Airlines provides the best senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older. Amtrak offers a 15% discount and Greyhound offers 5% off to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies provide discounts to customers who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. In addition, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10% to 30%.
Entertainment: Many movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. Additionally, the National Park Service offers a lifetime pass for those 62 and up for $10 (see nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm).
Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published December 30, 2016

Nice is named the 2017 LECS recipient

Jaelen Nice has been named the recipient of a four-year, full tuition scholarship as the Washington County Community Foundation 2017 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.

Nice was surprised after basketball practice with the assistance of coach, Hank Weedin. Lindsey Wade-Swift with the Washington County Community Foundation and Weedin collaborated and decided to bring Nice in to brainstorm ideas of how to encourage more students to attend the basketball game in January for which there are free tickets. “Most students are ready to go home after a long day of school and practice, but Jaelen was more than willing to meet with us. In fact, he was going to shoot more baskets after practice. That’s very telling of his character and drive,” Wade-Swift stated.

“When I found out, I really didn’t know what to think. I was excited and humbled at the same time. I just feel very blessed to have an opportunity like this. It still doesn’t seem real to me yet. I’m just so incredibly thankful,” states Nice.

Jaelen plans on pursuing a degree in Biochemistry or Radiology and is leaning towards attending Anderson University.

He is an integral part of the Lions Tennis team and Basketball team, a member of Student Council, the Washington County Youth Foundation, Vice- President of National Honor Society, Science Club, Booster Club, FCA President, and Vice-President of the Senior Class.

Nice participates in several community service projects such as Dare to Care food distribution, Jump Start, school blood drives, Relay for Life, VBS, and many more. He has also received many athletic and academic awards including Tennis All-Conference, FCA Christian Athlete Award, National History Day Career Award, and academic excellence in math, English, history, Spanish, and science.

Thirty-four applications were turned in for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship to the Washington County Community Foundation. The WCCF has developed a score sheet and ranking based on criteria that includes: GPA, SAT/ACT scores, Financial Need, First Generation College Student, Activities, Community Service, Honors/Awards, and Essay. The top students are then chosen to interview in front of the WCCF Scholarship Committee. After the Washington County Community Foundation scholarship committee narrowed the field to 4 nominees, the finalists’ names were submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) for the selection of the recipients.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

The scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. Indiana ranks among the lowest states in the percentage of residents over the age of 25 with a bachelor’s degree. There were 142 scholarships awarded statewide.

Washington County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1993 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Washington County forever.