Steve and Becky Skillman

“Steve and I are pleased and proud to have established the Steve and Becky Skillman Community Fund,” shared Becky. “No matter where life’s journey takes us, Lawrence County will always be home.”

Steve and Becky Skillman’s story is deeply rooted in Lawrence County, where they both grew up as “rural kids.” Steve graduated from Fayetteville High School, and Becky from Tunnelton High School. Their paths first crossed when Steve was 16 and Becky just 12. Steve worked after school carrying out groceries at Louden’s Supermarket, often helping Becky’s mother with her groceries while Becky tagged along. Years later, their friendship blossomed into romance, and they married in 1969. Their son, Aaron Burke Skillman, was born one day before their tenth anniversary.

Steve built a career in management at General Motors, retiring in 2006. A natural athlete, he played high school basketball and spent two decades playing slo-pitch softball. His true passion, however, is golf—he’s been “shooting his age” since turning 66.

Becky’s early involvement in 4-H sparked a lifelong interest in community service, politics, and government. At just 25, she won her first election and went on to serve Lawrence County for 16 years, followed by 12 years in the Indiana Senate and eight years as Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor. Becky broke multiple barriers, becoming the first woman elected as State Senator for District 44, the first woman in Senate Majority Leadership, and the first woman elected as Indiana’s Lt. Governor. Today, she continues her public service through board leadership and volunteer work, including with the Lawrence County Museum of History.

“We want to give back to the community that has been so supportive of our family. It was the wonderful and constant support of the people of Lawrence County that allowed me to pursue my passion for helping our smaller cities and towns and rural communities thrive and grow,” explained Becky. “We want the best quality of life for our friends, family, and all residents of Lawrence County. We know no better way to provide a lasting contribution than partnering with the Community Foundation. Although we may know the needs of the community today, we trust the Community Foundation to understand and address the needs of tomorrow.”

Anne Johnson

Ernestine “Anne” Johnson grew up in Loogootee, IN, and attended college at Indiana State University.  It was there she first heard his magical voice.  “I remember hearing him on the radio and thinking, ‘Wow.  What a great voice.’”  But it wasn’t until several years later that Anne met the owner of that wonderful voice. 

Anne worked at NSWC Crane for 28 years doing several different jobs.  She most enjoyed working in the Public Affairs Department.  It was there she met the man with the mesmerizing voice, Dave “Bud” Johnson.

Dave had grown up in Bedford, IN, and joined the Navy after high school.  Later, Dave attended broadcasting school in Washington, D.C.  He worked at several radio and television stations but finally ended up at NSWC Crane.  Dave kept up with his passion, however, and worked on advertising for Bedford Federal Savings Bank.  He also acted in various productions at the Little Theatre of Bedford including Another Part of the Forest and The Odd Couple. 

While Anne and Dave were working together, Dave began “coming around at lunch” and asking Anne to “work on lines with him.” Eventually, Dave asked Anne to come up to his houseboat one evening, but Anne had a rule: dating someone at work was not allowed.  “Finally, one night, I got so bored that I went [to the houseboat] and it’s all history from there,” Anne recalled.  Less than a year later, in 1976, the two were married in Anne’s hometown of Loogootee. 

During their marriage, the couple traveled from icy Alaska to tropical Hawaii, from the small town on Coronado Island to the big city on the island of Manhattan.  In New York, the couple attended a few Broadway shows.  “Theatre was one thing we had in common,” Anne shared. 

The couple’s marriage was very successful.  “He always said that I was so nice and sweet, and he was just the opposite, so we balanced each other out,” Anne remembered, laughing.  “He had a gruff exterior, but he was just a pussycat inside.”  Anne says that her advice to other couples would be to always keep a sense of humor. 

In 2007, Dave passed away from complications of lung cancer.  To honor him, Anne established the David “Bud” Johnson Fund for Little Theatre of Bedford.  This designated fund’s annual distribution will provide support for the Little Theatre.  In addition, Anne also began the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Bedford Fund.  Anne served as Treasurer of the Society for 15 years prior to beginning the fund.  She mentioned that this fund is close to her heart because she’s seen how the Society has helped people in the community. 

Anne passed away in 2012. In her will, she made provisions to establish a designated fund through the Community Foundation to benefit Hope Resource Center and made additional gifts to several designated funds held by the Community Foundation to support non-profit organizations in Lawrence and Martin Counties. Giving through the Community Foundation meant Anne only had to work with one organization rather than several to fulfill her charitable goals. Furthermore, Anne chose to give through the Community Foundation because she knew her donation would be endowed and would benefit these organizations forever.

Bob Bridge

A young woman once asked Bob Bridge how a person knows when he or she has become an adult. It was a challenging question and Bob pondered it for a couple of days.

When the young woman called back, Bob gave her his answer, “As a child, I was selfishly interested in what gifts I would receive for Christmas. It was all about me. Then, one Christmas Eve, I experienced an epiphany of sorts. I felt compelled to reward my parents, who had been so sacrificial, with a very special gift.”

Bob purchased an elaborate and expensive entertainment center for his parents’ living room. Though, as a young man, he was still seeking financial stability, he wanted to show them his sincere appreciation for all they had done for him. One night just before Christmas while his parents were out, he set it up and had everything ready to go.

Bob shared about that experience, “The expression on their faces upon returning home that evening was priceless. Their joy was immeasurable. That’s when I became an adult.”

Bob had learned how much better it feels to give than to receive. It was a life-changing moment.

From that point forward, Bob would take his parents with him on vacations to Florida. The trips were full of fun and created many cherished memories. Bob became a minimalist and rather than thinking about what he might want, he sought opportunities to assist those around him. Bob found LCCF was the ideal organization to help him along this path. 

In 2004, Bob established the Bob Bridge Community Fund, an unrestricted endowment to support Lawrence County non-profits. As an unrestricted fund, the Bob Bridge Community Fund can help finance grants for a wide variety of non-profits and community needs and will do so for many years to come.  

“I am convinced beyond doubt,” Bob stated, “the Lawrence County Community Foundation is the optimum way for a person to support the Lawrence County community.”

Brandi Weyer

Brandi Weyer’s first encounter with a community foundation was the Spencer County Community Foundation. When she worked as the Communications Director for the Lincoln Amphitheater, they applied for and received grants from the Community Foundation. As a result, she knew the Community Foundation as a granting organization but had no idea how it worked. 

When she started her career with WBIW, she became acquainted with the Lawrence County Community Foundation (LCCF) and its campaign. She now understood that the Community Foundation could award grants because of the generosity of local donors who gave to LCCF. Furthermore, those gifts would impact the community for many generations because they were invested in permanent endowments. At that time, Brandi was in her early 30s and starting to think about ways to give back to the community. She had limited funds and wasn’t sure where to start. Then she thought about the Community Foundation. “With the Community Foundation, it warmed my heart knowing my $30 per month investment, what I could afford at that time, would benefit many local nonprofits and help meet the community’s immediate and future needs. The Community Foundation has the pulse of the community and understands what the needs are in real time, year after year,” explained Brandi. 

As Brandi became more involved with the Lawrence County Community Foundation, serving on the PR Committee and eventually as a Board member, her admiration for LCCF’s good work deepened. She knew that when she could, she would create her own community fund with LCCF. 

Even though Brandi isn’t from Lawrence County and doesn’t live in Lawrence County, she still wants to support Lawrence County as it is the community where she built her career. The people and business owners of Lawrence County have welcomed her with open arms and have trusted her to help them market their businesses. As a result, she wants to leave a lasting, positive impact on the community that has treated her so well and put food on her table and shelter over her head. 

Brandi shared “It’s my personality to not be just a survivor but a thriver. So, I created the Thrive On Community Fund. I want this community to thrive in the same way it helped me thrive.” Brandi found the Community Foundation made it easy to set up her fund. She chose to establish an unrestricted fund because it will have the ability to support many organizations and a variety of community needs. And this support will continue forever.  “What I love about the Community Foundation,” said Brandi, “you can give $5 or $50,000! It doesn’t matter. You’ll be able to benefit the community where we live and work forever and in a number of ways.”