From the Rooney Fund Trustees:

The Rooney Fund like all charitable institutions over the last several months has experienced a loss in value of assets of the fund and a loss in income to the fund. Because we want the Fund to continue to provide assistance to Ex-Pupils and the immediate family, we found it necessary to reduce the maximum annual award effective immediately.

Since The Rooney Fund was established in 1972, the Trustees have attempted to be as helpful to Ex-Pupils as possible. In the beginning the awards were for graduating seniors. When the Home closed, it gave limited funds to Ex-Pupils and finally included spouses and children. All this was possible because of fund raising by Ex-Pupils and generous gifts from corporations. Finally as the Home closed, a substantial addition was made to the Fund by adding funds held by the Home for students’ benefits.

In the almost 40 years the fund existed, more than $1,000,000.00 has been awarded to Ex-Pupils and their immediate family to take educational courses. In the last five years alone, that total is $312,986.45.

Also, during the history of the fund two other educational projects have been supported. Again, in the last five years, the Trustees of the Fund have used money to pay for a museum parking lot and sidewalks; remodeling of the basement to provide office space and a bath room; and landscaping of the grounds near the museum and its maintenance. This totals over $98,000.00. The Rooney Fund rents space from the Association of Ex-Pupils at an annual rate of $4800.00. The other remodeled space is use for the Association of Ex-Pupils’ Office and Board Room.

A second educational project taken on by the Rooney Fund is the writing of the book telling the story of the Home. The book will cover the entire history of the 125 years the OSSO/OVCH taught and raised children. The book will be for sale in July of this year. The cost of paying someone to interview students and former faculty, the author and the publisher, will total $63,000.00. Sales of the book will offset much of the cost and hopefully sales will be substantial.

In short, the Rooney Fund has been an overwhelming success and something Ex-Pupils can be proud.

However, the economic times and the falling stock market have forced us to finally make changes in the Maximum Amount Awards can be made to the Ex-Pupil and their family. When the Fund recovers awards will be increased.

Effective February 13, 2010 awards will be $2000.00 for Ex-Pupils and $500.00 for children of Ex-Pupils to cover tuition and books only. Awards for spouses will be discontinued. Hopefully, further cuts will not be necessary and will find ways to increase our endowment and return to the awards you know now.

 From the Rooney Foundation President

Sincerely,
William Chavanne, Rooney Foundation President
Class of 1955

Update On "History Of Our Home".......
The writing of another history of our Home is a major effort. In January of 2006 The Rooney Fund decided that another history of the Home should be written, and to begin the project Dr. Birgette Soland was given a contract to create an oral history from interviews with students and employees.

We are now in the final phase of the project - the writing of the history. At the January 2007 meeting of The Rooney Fund we selected Mr. Edward Lentz to write the history of the Home. Mr. Lentz has spent his career teaching and writing Ohio and American History, and has worked for The Ohio Historical Society and The Columbus Landmarks Foundation. He also has taught and teaches history classes at the Central Ohio colleges and Universities. He has written several books and writes a weekly newspaper column on the history of Columbus. Mr. Lentz is expected to complete his work and publish the book by the end of 2009.

The written histories we have received to this point vary in length from two (2) to over twenty (20) pages. Both the oral histories and written histories are a joy to read and are very informative, but most importantly they tell the story of the success of our Home - our school - and the dedicated people who raised us. They remind us of our own personal circumstances that brought us to the Home and our experiences at the Home. We are fortunate to have a home where we can always return to see old friends and recount the days of our youth. While the oral history phase is complete, you can still write your own story of the Home as it was seen by you during your childhood.

The Rooney Fund Board has discussed printing these personal interviews as they are written in a separate book. They tell their own history. If we do decide to print the stories, we will return to each person their interview for their review.

Those who want to submit their written thoughts on the Home and their days as a student should send it to:

The Rooney Fund
c/o William Chavanne
1209 Westwood Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43212

The Rooney Fund is grateful to all of you who have participated so far and hope even more of you will add your thoughts. We believe this history will show Ohioans what a great place was once here for its needy children and will make us proud to say, "This is where I was raised - this is my Home."

Thank you,
William Chavanne
Rooney Foundation President

_________________________________________________________________

An excerpt from our "Pride of Ohio".......Page #17

XENIA SOLDIERS' ORPHANS' HOME IS IN NO SENSE TO BE CONSIDERED A CHARITY
      From the foregoing it is obvious that when our fathers went to war, they were fully assured of the support in a respectable and creditable manner of their loved ones. No child in the Xenia Soldiers' Orphans' Home,  should for one second consider that the Home represents a charity of the State nor tollerate such thought from any source. Your education in the Xenia Home has been fully paid for by the arrearages justly due and never paid your fathers for their services to their country. Would anyone have the temerity to suggest our soldier pensioners are subjects of charity? The pensions represent arrearages due them and if not paid to them it is due from the government to their dependents.
      We should all be proud of the fact we are a product of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home and not hesitate to let people know it.

Preceding the previous paragraph......

RETURN OF THE VETERANS FROM THE WAR
      April 12, 1865, General Robert E. Lee commanding the Confederate Army of Virginia met General U. S. Grant, commanding the Union Army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, where terms of surrender were signed.
      Thousands of boys returned from the war expecting to resume their business or other vocations; in many instances they found others in their places which necessitated beginning life anew.
      Some returned in apparent health, perfect in body; many others maimed for life. Others who had made the supreme sacrifice were brought home to lay with their fathers.
      Whitelaw Reid said: "Of Ohio's third of a million soldiers, thirty-seven out of every thousand fell dead or mortally wounded in battle; forty-seven more died in hospitals of wounds received in battle; seventy-one were honorably discharged by reason of sickness or wounds incurred in their country's service." Many  were returned home with legless trousers, as were the author's father and grandfather each of whom lost their right leg in the same battle on the same day. Others returned with armless sleeves, others with their ears closed to the world's sweet music and the voices of loved ones, still others enveloped in complete darkness.