Tyson Fund awards 11 organizations on Sunday

(VERSAILLES, Ind.) – The James H. Tyson Fund awarded $667,700 to 11 local organizations on Sunday night. 

The ceremony was held on what would have been James Tyson’s 169th birthday. 

James Tyson was a Versailles native who was friends with the founder of the Walgreen Company. He was the company’s first bookkeeper and also served as the secretary. 

He created the Tyson Fund in 1930 and donated 18,000 Walgreen shares to the nonprofit. It led to the creation of the Tyson Methodist Church, Tyson Library, Tyson Waterworks and more.

Over the years, the Tyson Fund has given more than $25 million to various organizations and projects in the Versailles community. 

Here are a list of this year’s recipients:

• Child Evangelism Fellowship – $4,900 to help fund the summer camps and Good News Clubs at South Ripley Schools.

• Genesis: Pathways to Success – $7,000 for various youth activities the organization conducts in the Versailles area.

• Ripley County Historical Society – $2,300 to replace two windows in the museum.

• Main Street Versailles – $6,000 to support the many programs, events, and other activities the group sponsors throughout the year, such as the Fun Run, Versailles Pumpkin Show baking contest, Farmers Market and Home for the Holidays.

• Ripley County Community Foundation – $3,000 to defray the cost of Dolly Parton Imagination Library books for children ages 0-5 in the Versailles community.

• South Ripley Community Schools – $60,000 to help offset the cost of the turf field installation at South Ripley High School. These are matching funds in addition to amounts previously donated by the Cincinnati Reds and St. Elizabeth Hospital.

• Town of Versailles – $367,000 to improve infrastructure, including the town’s water/sewer systems; to match Community Crossing funds for street repair; a new barn floor; water meters; a down payment on a new dump truck; water bond payment, and a payment on the town’s street sweeper.

• Tyson Activity Center (TAC) – $30,000 to continue programming TAC provides to Versailles residents throughout the year.

• Tyson Library Association – $150,000 to continue programming for the Library and the citizens of Versailles.

• Versailles Fire Department – $25,000 for a payment on the 2006 rescue truck that was purchased in 2020.

• Versailles Lions Club – $12,500 to help offset the cost of entertainment and advertisement for the 2025 Versailles Pumpkin Show.