Donor Spotlight

Donor Spotlight

Jo Ellen Diehl Yeary | Generosity rooted in pride, remembrance, dedication to home

Learn more

News & Happenings

James R. Milligan Legacy Fund Recognizes National Honor Society Members


Recognizing a Past Act of Kindness, 
the New Fund Supports the Next Generation

Cambridge, OH – At the May 12 senior awards banquet, two Cambridge High School National Honor Society members received the first scholarship awards of their kind and continued the legacy of a cherished member of the Cambridge High School community. Jessica Lucero and Ian Kerr received the inaugural scholarship awards from the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund, a member fund of the Guernsey County Foundation at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO).

The new fund honors the memory of James R. Milligan, a Cambridge High School student who passed away after a hunting accident at age 17 in December 1966. A mailroom employee at the Daily Jeffersonian and a  newly inducted member of the National Honor Society at Cambridge High School at the time, James, known as Jim, was a kid that everyone liked with plans to attend college to become a teacher.

The Fund was created by Floyd and Irene Milligan, Jim’s parents, through a gift in their will. Floyd and Irene’s gift not only honors their late son’s legacy, but pays tribute to a tremendous act of kindness by the National Honor Society students at Cambridge High School.

Following Jim’s death, the National Honor Society students at Cambridge High School voted to rename their chapter the James R. Milligan Memorial Chapter of the National Honor Society to recognize their fellow student and friend. In a letter to Floyd and Irene informing them of the chapter’s decision, members noted that Jim’s “memory will always live within our hearts” and that the chapter would be a living memorial to him.

Floyd and Irene were tremendously touched by the gesture and wanted a way to pay forward that act of kindness to National Honor Society students of the future. As a result, the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund will award two $500 scholarships to a male and female member of the National Honor Society at Cambridge High School with guidance from a committee of National Honor Society advisors, guidance counselors, and teachers. Scholarship recipients will be active members of the National Honor Society chapter at Cambridge High School who are going to college but have not had all their educational costs paid for. To honor Jim’s legacy, these students will be active participants in the Cambridge High School community as well as the wider community.

Milligan Scholarship Recipients FINAL

Ian Kerr (l) and Jessica Lucero are the inaugural scholarship recipients from the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund.

This year’s inaugural James R. Milligan Legacy Fund scholarship recipients are Jessica Lucero and Ian Kerr. Jessica plans to attend the University of Akron to study psychology while Ian plans to attend Kent State University to study aerospace engineering. Both were active members of the National Honor Society, volunteering their time during the holiday season to collect food for those in need through a canned food drive. Ian volunteered as a tutor, especially in Spanish classes, to help students get the assistance they needed to improve their academic performance.

With the creation of James R. Milligan Legacy Fund, Floyd and Irene Milligan ensured that the memory of their son would live on while repaying the tremendous gesture made by National Honor Society members in the past. Future generations of National Honor Society members will benefit from an additional scholarship, making college education a more attainable goal.

Gifts to the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund are tax deductible and can be made in many ways, including cash, bequests, and life insurance. Donations can be made online at www.AppalachianOhio.org by designating the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund when donating. To mail your donation, please designate the James R. Milligan Legacy Fund and mail to PO Box 456, Nelsonville, Ohio 45764.

To learn more about how you can honor the legacies of people in your life while supporting what’s closest to your heart, please visit www.AppalachianOhio.org or call 740.753.1111.

About the Guernsey County Foundation
The Guernsey County Foundation receives contributions and bequests of all sizes from individuals to assist in the funding of projects and charitable organizations. Through this unique collaboration with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, the Guernsey County Foundation extends its philanthropic efforts throughout our community. More information can be found at www.guernseycountyfoundation.org or www.AppalachianOhio.org.

About the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation creates opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities by inspiring and supporting philanthropy. For more information about FAO, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org.

###