“Betty was one of the best people I ever knew,” O’Rourke said. “She was just good to the bone.”
Ellen Slone Farthing, Jen Shumway and Bob Montgomery were 2021 Betty Good Human award winners. Each recipient gets to donate money to a charity or charities of their choice. This year, each recipient gave $2,000 to their chosen charity or organization.
Farthing was nominated for her work with the Fairborn Senior Center, among other accomplishments and good deeds. Her Betty funds will go toward the senior center. She said the $2,000 will go toward making the senior center’s community Thanksgiving Day dinner possible.
Shumway was nominated for her efforts since 2018 to make sure all kids get to have a Christmas. Shumway made a post online in 2018 that she knew a few kids who weren’t going to get a Christmas, but after her post she got donations. Since then she has posted annually on Facebook. In total, she has shopped, wrapped and delivered Christmas spirit for nearly 40 children since that first post. When Shumway found out she was getting the Betty award, she created her own 501c3 nonprofit called “Christmas for our Kids” so that her efforts can continue. Her $2,000 will be donated there.
O’Rourke nominated Bob Montgomery, who died years ago, so his children accepted the award and donation check on his behalf.
When he was alive, O’Rourke said he was instrumental in several churches and charities in Greene County, including helping get Schneider House of Hope off the ground. His $2,000 check from the Betty award will go to Schneider House of Hope.
Nominations for The Betty are accepted by Greene Giving through the Greene County Community Foundation. Funds are also managed and administered by Greene Giving. To nominate someone for next year’s award, the form can be found on the Greene Giving website, GreeneGiving.org.
O’Rourke also donated $3,000 to One Bistro in Xenia, which hosted the event on Wednesday afternoon. One Bistro has been in its current location since 2016. The restaurant has a “pay what you can” concept, so that those who can’t afford to eat can still get a meal.
Some past recipients of the Betty Good Human award have been Xenia Police Chief Randy Person and Barbara Denen. O’Rourke started the award in 2019.
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