CENTERBURG — Members of the Centerburg 60 Club don’t look at what they’re doing as charity. It’s more a repayment — giving back to the community that first gave to them.
Centerburg resident and CHS grad Tyler Griffith started the group as a way to help fund projects in the Centerburg School District.
It started in March as the Centerburg 50 Club.
“In three days, I had a waiting list, so we bumped it to the Centerburg 60 Club,” he said. “Then I got another waiting list, so that’s how we ended up with 64 people.”
Now, it’s climbed to 68.
“What I didn’t realize was the willingness of people wanting to get involved in their community,” Griffith said.
“There are so many people who said, ‘I’ve always wanted to do something, but I didn’t know how.’ This has given those people an opportunity to participate in a group setting.”
Each member pledged to give $1,000 a year for five years when they joined. Of the $68,000 the group collects each year, it will commit $40,000. The group will fund one project each quarter, donating up to $10,000 for each project.
Recipients must be a nonprofit, school or government entity since the fund flows through the Knox County Foundation. The entity must also be in the Centerburg School District.
The remaining $28,000 each year will carry over until year five, at which time the club will donate its regular $40,000 plus a $140,000 grant toward, as Griffith put it, “something big.”
“That’s awesome,” he said. “For a small town, I think that can make a difference.”
So far, the group has donated $10,000 for a scoreboard at the high school baseball field and $10,000 for a fence around the playground at Memorial Park.
The total commitment over five years is $340,000.
Supporting the community that supported you
Centerburg 60 members span several generations, proof that giving back is not just a Baby Boomer philosophy.
For Milford Township Trustee Chase Cochran, giving back is rooted in family.
“Everybody’s got to give back, and the generation before me gave back. A lot of people recognize that,” he said.
“We’re not here long at all. Time flies, but God is the one that gets to dictate that. The blessings that I’ve had in my life, I want to bless other people in other ways as well.”
CHS alumni who now live out of state haven’t forgotten their roots and are also Centerburg 60 members.
“We have members from South Carolina, North Carolina. We’re spread out, which it’s cool the people who are jumping in,” Griffith said.
Looking ahead
Griffith said the club will reassess its position after five years. He also noted the group likely will never outgrow its need.
“We still have senior services out there that I know will be on our radar sooner rather than later,” he said. “The school is a good place to fund in scholarships for graduating seniors, the parks in town, the village as a whole …”
“At the end of the day, we were raised here, born here. And we want to see Centerburg flourish and still have this hometown character. If we can help the community in any way, that only benefits the community.”
Chase Cochran, Milford Township resident and trustee
Griffith believes that once the word gets out, many more individuals will step forward to contribute.
“There are a lot of people who really care about the community. … They’re learning of the needs of the community,” he said. “It was cool to see how many people wanted to be involved. They just didn’t know how.”
Griffith would like to see other communities use Centerburg 60’s blueprint and replicate the program.
“And at the end of the day, it’s not that much money every member is putting into the pot. But it’s the power of numbers, and the power of the community coming together is awesome,” Cochran said.
Anyone wishing to contribute or who is interested in more information can email centerburg60club@gmail.com or visit the group on Facebook.
