Several local organizations are benefitting from the generosity of Leonard and Margaret Davis’ will.
Leonard Davis died in 1999; his wife died last November. The couple, long-time residents of Portage
Township, left money to various community groups.
Most recently, $30,000 was given to the Bowling Green Kiwanis Club to be used for high school
scholarships in the names of the donors. The Kiwanis has a non-profit scholarship foundation that will
manage the donation according to the Davis’ wishes.
This year, the Kiwanis Scholarship Foundation gave out three scholarships to Bowling Green, and two to
Eastwood High School students.
The Davis’ trust also designated $10,000 for the Wood County Committee on Aging.
Leonard Davis was a past president of the committee’s governing board. Margaret Davis and her sister,
Fern Sipe, were long-time participants at the Wood County Senior Center.
The couple also bequeathed money to other community organizations, such as the Salvation Army, Wood
County Fair Board, American Heart Association, and Wood County Hospital.
The Wood County Agricultural Society was given $50,000 to be used toward the construction of a new
building on the fairgrounds. Over the years, the Davis family had been strong supporters of the fair
including the Junior Livestock Sale.
The Davises committed much of their time to volunteer work.
They were members of the Christ United Methodist Church in Portage, where they often co-chaired American
Red Cross bloodmobiles.
Margaret Davis was also a volunteer for the Wood County Hospital and a member of the Hospital Guild.
Leonard and Margaret Davis were awarded the Lyle Fletcher Award at the Wood County Historical Museum and
they also were honored with the Fraternalism of the Year Award in 1993, given by the Gleaner Life
Insurance Society.
The couple was also well known for their donations to the Elmwood Local Schools Scholarship funds, as
well as the Gleaners Scholarship funds and Portage Town-ship Alumni.