The Whetstone Family Foundation

10/06/2026

Investing in Appalachia means investing in our communities, our young people, and the businesses that call this region home.

The Whetstone Family Foundation is proud to purchase new volleyball jerseys for the Middle School Volleyball Team at Bloomfield Middle/High School.

What makes this investment even more meaningful is that the jerseys were purchased from—an Appalachian-based business serving an Appalachian school.

That is exactly the kind of impact we want to create.

Our commitment to Appalachia goes beyond scholarships. It means supporting our schools, creating opportunities for our students, strengthening local businesses, and keeping our investment right here in the communities we serve.

Appalachian dollars supporting an Appalachian business, providing for Appalachian students.

We are proud to support the Bloomfield Cardinals and proud to continue investing in the future of Appalachia.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.

Their sacrifice reminds us that freedom is never free, and that the legacy of a life can continue far beyond a single moment in history.

At the Whetstone Family Foundation, we believe the greatest impact we can leave behind is found in service to others — through compassion, education, advocacy, and community.

Today we remember the fallen, pray for their families, and recommit ourselves to building a future worthy of their sacrifice.

May we never forget.

05/08/2026

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Whetstone Family Foundation,

At the Whetstone Family Foundation, our mission has always been rooted in a simple but deeply held belief: every student, regardless of where they are born or how rural their community may be, deserves access to opportunity, education, and hope for the future.

As a charitable 501(c)(3) organization, we do not engage in partisan politics, endorse candidates, or advocate for political parties. We remain committed to serving our communities through education, scholarship, and outreach, not political activism.

However, we also believe there are moments when organizations dedicated to the future of students must speak clearly about issues that directly impact the communities they serve.

In recent weeks, public conversations surrounding the possible consolidation, reduction, or closure of some of Ohio’s public colleges and universities have raised significant concern for us as advocates for Appalachian students and rural educational access.

For many students in Appalachia, public colleges and regional universities are not simply educational institutions. They are lifelines. They are often the only accessible pathway to higher education for first-generation college students, working families, and young people who cannot relocate far from home due to financial, cultural, or family responsibilities.

Reducing access to these institutions would not affect all communities equally. Rural Appalachian students already face disproportionate barriers including poverty, transportation limitations, healthcare disparities, and reduced access to educational resources. The loss or consolidation of nearby public institutions would deepen those inequities and place higher education even further out of reach for many deserving students.

We believe strongly that the future of Appalachia depends on investment — not retreat.

Investment in students.
Investment in educators.
Investment in public institutions.
Investment in the belief that geography should never determine the limits of a child’s future.

The Whetstone Family Foundation will continue to advocate for expanded opportunity, increased educational access, and meaningful support for students pursuing careers in medicine, public health, the arts, and community leadership throughout Appalachian Ohio.

We remain grateful for your continued support of our mission and for your shared commitment to the future of the communities we call home.

With gratitude,

Brent E. Whetstone

02/21/2026

🌟 The Whetstone Family Foundation is proud to support the Bloomfield Drama Club! 🌟

I had the chance to attend a full-day workshop where these talented students learned puppeteering and workshopped scenes for their upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. The creativity, dedication, and energy from the kids and the production team is amazing—this show in March is going to be something special! 🎭

If you love supporting local arts and helping students thrive, consider sponsoring this incredible program. Every bit of support makes a difference! 💛

02/18/2026

This is our home.
These are our people.
This is our commitment.

In 2026, the Whetstone Family Foundation is focusing our giving where our roots run deepest:

Rural Ohio.
Appalachian Ohio.
The students who call this region home.

We know the strength of these communities.
We know the pride, the work ethic, the resilience.

We also know the barriers.

Underfunded schools.
Limited access to opportunity.
First-generation students navigating systems not built with them in mind.

Our 2026 Giving Campaign is a direct investment in Appalachian Ohio — expanding scholarships, supporting arts and education programs, and equipping rural students to pursue college, leadership, and meaningful careers.

Because talent is everywhere.
Opportunity is not.

This is our home. These are our people. And this is our commitment — to give back, to uplift, and to help every student see the possibility in their own story.

Give today. Your gift is tax deductible:
www.whetstonefamilyfoundation.org/donate

02/17/2026

For the third year in a row, the Whetstone Family Foundation has earned the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency — the highest level of nonprofit transparency and accountability.

This recognition reflects our continued commitment to open reporting, measurable outcomes, and responsible stewardship of every resource entrusted to our mission. Through scholarships, arts initiatives, and direct outreach across Appalachian Ohio, we continue advancing Hope, Health, and Humanity through measurable, community-centered impact.

View our full Candid transparency profile:
https://app.candid.org/profile/14597650/the-whetstone-family-charitable-foundation/?pkId=9d6a9ab7-d6fe-4e19-a49c-4741b3713f1d&isActive=true

Support the mission:
https://www.whetstonefamilyfoundation.org/donate

01/14/2026

🌟 Community Night Is One Week Away!

Date: January 14th,2026

Time: 5:00 to 7:00 PM

We are excited to welcome our community into Bloomfield High School to share the many great things happening in our classrooms, programs, and school culture. This event is open to everyone—alumni, current students and families, and members of the Bloomfield community. We hope you’ll join us!

Community Night is a chance to see firsthand what makes Bloomfield special. As a small school, we pride ourselves on turning that strength into an advantage—building strong relationships, offering personalized opportunities, and creating an environment where students truly shine.

Event Highlights & Updates:

🎁 Door Prizes: Thanks to the generous support of our local business community, we’ll be giving away several door prizes, including $100 in cash and a television, along with other donated items.

☕ Refreshments: Light refreshments will be available throughout the evening.

🤝 Community Partners Welcome: Local churches, service organizations, and community-based groups are invited to attend and host a table to share information with families. For details or to reserve space, please contact the Bloomfield HS office at 440-685-4711.

🏀 Stay for the Games!

Anyone attending Community Night is also invited to stay and enjoy our basketball games that evening at no additional cost:

Middle School Game: 5:00 PM

High School Boys Game: 6:00 PM

It’s a great opportunity to experience the game day and cheer on our Cardinals!

🍝 Senior Class Spaghetti Dinner

The Bloomfield HS senior class will be hosting a spaghetti dinner that evening from 4:00–6:00 PM. Come out to support our seniors!

$8.00 – Adults

$6.00 – Children ages 5–12 & senior citizens

Bloomfield High School is truly something special. We invite you to come see it for yourself, connect with our school community, and celebrate all that makes Bloomfield a great place to learn and grow.

We look forward to seeing you next week!

01/14/2026

🍝 Bloomfield Senior Class Spaghetti Dinner & Basket Raffle 🍝

Join us for a great meal while supporting the Bloomfield High School Senior Class!

📅 Wednesday, January 14
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM
📍 Bloomfield High School Cafeteria
2077 Park Road West, North Bloomfield

💲 Dinner Prices:
• Adults: $8
• Children (Ages 5–12): $6
• Senior Citizens: $6

🎟️ Don’t miss the basket raffle and a great opportunity to support our seniors!

We hope to see you there!

01/14/2026

📣 Come join us tonight at Bloomfield High School!

The Whetstone Family Foundation will be out at Bloomfield High School’s Community Night this evening, and we’d love to see you there.

Community Night is a great opportunity to walk through the school, meet staff, and learn about the many programs Bloomfield has to offer—and one of the programs we’re especially excited to celebrate is the Bloomfield Drama Club 🎭

For the past four seasons, our Foundation has been a proud sponsor of the Drama Club because we believe the arts are essential in helping students build confidence, creativity, and community.

If you care about supporting students, strengthening local programs, and investing in Arts in Appalachia, this is a night you won’t want to miss.

✨ Come say hello, meet the teams, and see what Bloomfield is building.
We’ll be there—and we hope you will be too!

🎭 Community Night is TOMORROW! 🌱
Join us tomorrow from 5–7 PM at Community Night and be sure to stop by the Drama Club table!
Meet Audrey, Seymour, Mr. Mushnik and everyone’s favorite little plant — baby Audrey II 👀🌿
Come say hi, grab info about our show and the drama club, and get a sneak peek at what we’ve been growing on stage.
We can’t wait to see you!

01/01/2026

From The Whetstone Family Foundation

As we close out this year, our hearts are full of gratitude. Thank you to everyone who has supported The Whetstone Family Foundation — through your encouragement, generosity, prayers, and belief in the work we are doing. Because of you, lives and stories across Appalachian Ohio are being lifted with dignity and hope.

As we look ahead to 2026 I am happy to say that it is shaping up to be a remarkable year of growth. We are excited to share that The Whetstone Family Foundation has formally submitted our application to join the Appalachian Funders Network, our hope is that we will be able to strengthen our partnerships and deepen our commitment to the region we love. Together, we believe Appalachia deserves the very best, not as an afterthought, but as a priority.

Our mission remains simple and steadfast:

Hope. Health. Humanity.

We are just getting started.

In the coming year, we will continue to advocate for rural and underserved communities, expand scholarships and programs, and walk alongside families and students across Appalachian Ohio, because every person deserves opportunity, support, and a voice.

From our family to yours,
Brent, Heather, Caitlyn, Isabella, Noah, Madeline, and Abigail, thank you for believing in this mission, for believing in Appalachia, and for believing in us.

Here’s to a year of purpose, partnership, and possibility ahead. ✨

— The Whetstone Family Foundation

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