Mutual Bank’s representatives and Mary Ann Cox present $5,000 to Beaman Home’s Executive Director. (l to r): Stephanie Salyer, Vince Turner, Mary Ann Cox, Tracie Hodson and Robyn Palmer.

At the Beaman Home’s November board meeting, long-time volunteer and past board member Mary Ann Cox made a special donation to the Beaman Home’s campaign to build a new emergency shelter and outreach center on North Parker Street in Warsaw.

Cox was one of four Platinum $5,000 prize winners in Mutual Bank’s 125th anniversary BetterLife Awards. The award was a monetary donation to a nonprofit of her choice. Once declared a finalist in the award process, local supporters provided enough online votes for her to win the Platinum Award.

Nominated by Beaman Home Board president Sue Creighton, Cox was recognized as a leader in the founding and over 30 years of continued support for this area’s domestic violence emergency shelter. She has worked with, counseled and provided hope to hundreds of families in crisis through the years.

Accepting the donation, Beaman Home Executive Director Tracie Hodson commented, “Mary Ann was a founding mother of the Beaman Home along with other members of Altrusa International of Warsaw. She has been an example and mentor to all of us associated with the Beaman Home. We are very proud that she has been recognized by Mutual Bank for her work with our organization, and we’re grateful that she selected The Beaman Home’s campaign for a new facility to receive the donation.”

Accompanying Cox for the presentation were Mutual Bank representatives Stephanie Salyer, VP-Kosciusko Elkhart County area; Vice Turner, vice president and regional manager; and Robyn Palmer, client relationship manager.

A two-phased construction approach at the Beaman Home’s new campus at 603 North Parker St., begins on Dec. 3 with the remodeling of the existing building to house the organization’s Outreach Center and administrative offices.

The second phase, scheduled to begin in Spring 2015, will add a two-story emergency shelter to the west end of the existing building.

For more information about the Beaman Home and its programs, services or campaign, contact Tracie Hodson at 574-372-3503 or [email protected].