John & Liz Chattin

John and Liz Chattin, graduates of Shoals High School, are lifelong residents of Martin County. John grew up along the White River and Liz says, “He knows every inch of it. If there is a change in the ripple, John is able to pick up on it.” They both worked locally; John worked at National Gypsum and the Martin County Highway Department and Liz at NSWC Crane. In their free time, John and Liz enjoy traveling and have been to over forty states thus far. When they are not traveling, John is an avid gardener and extremely generous with the bounties of his garden. He is always prepared to help anyone who needs it. Liz participates on multiple boards across the county. Martin County and its foundation hold a special place in the Chattins’ hearts. Their continuous work within the community goes unspoken too often.

Liz became a board member of the Martin County Community Foundation (MCCF) in 2014. She served as the MCCF Board President as well as President of the Community Foundation Partnership. She also serves on the Shoals Public Library Board of Trustees. She has served this board for over eight years and held a secretary position for four of them. What motivates her to serve our county as graciously as she does is purely the fact that she wants to see Martin County kept up and she envisions their good deeds making a lasting impression. Improvements to the county are needed far and wide, but Liz believes they are in reach and strives to keep Martin County’s reputation at an all-time high.

John worked many 7-day weeks during his 32 years of employment leaving him with very little free time. He is, however, a very giving and unselfish man. Several years ago, John received a civilian meritorious award from the Indiana State Police Commissioner and an Outstanding Citizen Award from the Martin County Sheriff's Department for going above and beyond in the lifesaving rescue of a man that had fallen from a railroad bridge into the cold, high waters of the White River. When John heard of the incident, he was able to get his boat running, find the worker in the water, and carry him to safety. This is one of multiple saves John has performed over the years. As stated earlier, “John knows every inch of the river”, and the county is beyond grateful that he does.

Martin County has been good to John and Liz, and they built a beautiful life here. As a result, they wanted to do something to give back to their community. Having seen first-hand the value of permanent endowments through Liz’s work on the MCCF Board, John and Liz decided to establish a fund that would benefit charitable causes locally, now and in the future. The John T. and Elizabeth J. Chattin Community Fund is a permanent endowment that will help meet the ever-changing community needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time a gift is made. This unrestricted fund is a way the Chattin’s can watch the county stay kept up and thriving. By starting the fund now, they will be able to watch their fund grow and positively impact the community they love. Their fund helps leave a legacy within the Chattin family name. Their efforts and donations toward our beloved community are something we, as a community, will cherish forever.

Jack & Rita Butcher

Jack Butcher is a name heard around the state of Indiana, and for great reason. While Jack is a humble, caring resident of our small town of Loogootee, he also holds the honorable title of Indiana’s Winningest High School Basketball Coach. In 1991, Jack was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. His 45 years of coaching constituted an impressive era of high school basketball for Loogootee.

Jack was born and raised in Martin County and promised himself he’d always return following graduation. He grew up fishing, hunting, and doing what he loves most- playing basketball. Jack later married Rita (Jones), and they decided to raise their family here. Jack and Rita have been married for 63 years. They now have seven kids, 16 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. The love of family is clear as you walk in the front door of their home and see dozens of pictures of kids and grandkids under a large sign that says “Family”. In Jack’s free time he enjoys playing golf, while Rita spends her free time walking and volunteering in humble ways with their church. The couple still resides in Martin County where their roots lie.

The path to the successful life Jack built was not always an easy one. Jack Butcher led Memphis State to the 1957 National Invitation Tournament title game after spending two years in the U.S. Army. He was drafted by Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics in 1957, but politely declined the offer after deciding that his destiny was coaching Loogootee High School Basketball. As coach, the Lions won 20 sectional titles, eight regionals and two semi-states. Jack ended his coaching career with 806 wins and four undefeated seasons. Coach Butcher is known for molding the small-town boys of Loogootee into a united team that played fundamental, winning basketball. Though Jack’s “coaching days” ended a long time ago, John and Rita Butcher continue to be cherished in Martin County.

The Rita and Jack Butcher Loogootee Family Scholarship fund was created in 2011 and converted to an MCCF endowment in 2014.  The scholarship will forever honor the Loogootee “basketball family” that supported the Butchers so much for all those years. Jack also wanted to honor his wife, Rita, who he says was always so supportive of him as a husband, father, player, and coach. He knew he was never going to change the world, but decided he could pay it forward and contribute in positive ways.

Because receiving a scholarship was so critical to furthering his education and basketball career, Jack desired to return the favor to residents of Martin County. Rita and Jack wanted to encourage students to have a good attitude, a good work ethic, to perform well academically, and to participate in either sports and/or extracurricular activities. The scholarship is designated for a high school senior at Loogootee High School who has been accepted in a college, university, vocational, or trade school. They created this scholarship because the family is past, present, and future supporters of Martin County and Loogootee basketball. The Butchers desire “to give back for all our blessings.” Jack Butcher will forever be known for his records and achievements, but he and Rita also hold a legacy with Martin County that aims to continue making our home a better place.

Richard & Ann Burch

Ann (Jones) Burch and her husband, Richard Burch, have been Martin County residents all their lives. Both are graduates of Loogootee High School. Richard pursued a career in Civil Engineering at Purdue University while Ann pursued a career as an Ophthalmology Assistant at Indiana University. Following college graduation, Ann and Richard became newlyweds. They began building their family after returning to Martin County. They have three children - Allyson, Emma, and Clint, and three grandchildren.

Ann lived a happy life before she passed away from a battle with cancer in early 2017. Ann gave her time, energy, and talents back to the community in many ways, some of which included: serving as a volunteer each of the 13 years of the Butcher-Gee Golf Scramble, as a member of the Miss Martin County Queen Committee from 2004 to 2016, as a member of the Loogootee Library board, and as a member of the MCCF Grant Committee. “Ann was simply community-minded,” Richard states. She is missed dearly by many for the impact she made on her family and within our community.

In addition to her community involvement, tennis was a passion of Ann’s. It dates back to 1978 when Ann was on the inaugural Loogootee Girls Tennis team. Her passion and love of tennis were passed on to her kids Allyson (class of 2006), Emma (class of 2008), and Clinton (class of 2011). All of whom were participants in the Loogootee Tennis Program. Ann was even an honorary at a girl’s Smash Cancer Tennis Tournament in May of 2016. Tennis offers students positive lessons in their growth and journey toward becoming adults. Knowing the impact tennis has on the lives of students, Ann and Richard decided to establish a scholarship to reward someone who has dedicated their precious teenage years to the sport that Ann so adored.

The Ann Jones Burch Tennis Scholarship will support Loogootee High School graduating students that participated in tennis; were active in other school activities; and are good, well-rounded, civic-minded citizens. Many of Ann’s friends, acquaintances, and family members, as well as local businesses, have given to the scholarship enabling it to grow it in her honor. It was one of the fastest-growing funds in our community’s history. Ann’s passion for tennis will live on through the athletes benefiting from this scholarship, and her legacy will last forever within our community.