Marsh Foundation celebrates big milestone

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

100 years – it’s a special milestone and it was celebrated in fine fashion at the Marsh Foundation Friday night and Saturday.

The celebration of a century of service to children began with a private social hour and Alumni dinner Friday evening, which was attended by well over 200 people and was deemed a big success.

“We had a great meal and a lot of fellowship and old stories being told,” Executive Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Grothouse said. “We had students come back along with former employees and it was a great night. It couldn’t have been any better and we were able to show off the new building with the new cafeteria and new gymnasium – people really loved it.”

Saturday’s campus-wide celebration was open to the public and a steady stream of people flowed in throughout the day to enjoy various offerings, including school and administration building open houses, tours of the group homes and the Homestead, a farmer’s market and mum sale and inflatables. Other parts of the celebration included food trailers, cooking and horse demonstrations by current Marsh students, open pond fishing, and a book signing and speech by former Marsh Foundation student Tori Hope Peterson, who was named Mrs. Universe in 2021.

The day’s festivities closed with a high energy concert by Denver and the Mile High Orchestra in the Ron Bagley Auditorium, followed by a fireworks show.

“100 years is very special for us,” Grothouse said of the Marsh Foundation’s history and the celebration. “It’s been a great weekend and the weather couldn’t have been any better for the celebration.”

The Marsh Foundation, which was founded by George and Hilinda Vance Marsh, is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services for youth and families in a variety of settings. Services include residential care, family foster care (ages 0-17), adoption and independent living services. The organization is licensed to provide on-campus services for up to 30 children, offers an on-campus school for grades 2-12, and provides a variety of clinical services to campus residents, foster care children and community members throughout western Ohio.

For more information, go to marshfoundation.org.